Work began today on the centrepiece of the Canberra Hospital Expansion, the Critical Services Building.

Once finished, an ACT Government spokesperson said, it would increase the ACT’s emergency department, surgical and critical care capacity.

The new Emergency, Surgical and Critical Healthcare building will house 22 operating theatres, 147 emergency department spaces, 156 in-patient beds, 32 cardiac care beds, 55 day surgery beds, and 60 ICU treatment spaces.

Rachel Stephen-Smith, ACT Minister for Health, said the start of construction marked another important milestone for the transformation of the Canberra Hospital campus.

“Hospital staff, patients, and visitors will now start to see the Critical Services Building take shape,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.

Today, excavations began for the new ambulance bay and basement. Cranes would go up early next year, Ms Stephen-Smith said.

Extensive work has prepared the campus for the start of these works, Ms Stephen-Smith said. The new Building 8 officially opened in June; a new administration building was built; and spaces across the campus were refurbished.

A local Canberra workforce will build the new hospital, creating 500 construction jobs. This was part of the ACT Government’s $5 billion infrastructure spend to help the local economy recover, the Minister said.

The ACT Government would keep local residents and other campus occupants as work progressed, to minimise construction impacts.

The ACT Government’s Canberra Hospital Master Plan will soon be released.

“The Canberra Hospital Expansion is delivering modern healthcare facilities for Canberra with a bigger emergency department, more operating theatres, and more beds,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.

To make being in hospital comfortable and healing, the government is working with consumers to design internal spaces and courtyards.

Hospital staff will also be consulted on changes to the design of clinical areas, to make sure the new building is safe and effective.