Builders looking at Atherton Hospital redevelopment plans
With the Atherton Hospital Redevelopment moving towards completion in 2022 it is time to recognise one committed and passionate member of staff who has been working on the project since the very first planning meeting in 2017.
Jillian Tanswell is the Project Planning Lead and a proud Atherton local of 30 years.
‘For me it is far more than just a building, it’s so many different things to people at different stages of their lives,’ said Ms Tanswell.
‘You could be born here, you might have the happiest times of your life, the most traumatic times of your life could be here if you’ve lost a loved one or are losing a loved one and then it can also be the end stages of your life. It’s so many things to the locals.’
‘From the start it involved herding everybody together, organising the meetings, talking through what the services needed and coordinating this before the design process commenced.’
‘We knew we had one chance at this, it’s a once in a lifetime thing to get right so we’ve worked really hard to do it the best way we could.’
The first phase of the construction delivered the Community, Allied and Mental Health Building as well as a new helipad, external roadworks and supporting infrastructure.
The redevelopment marked a major milestone in November when the roof was completed on the Clinical Services Building. This building will feature a new emergency department, medical imaging, general ward, maternity ward and birthing service, operating and endoscopy units and a sterilising unit.
‘It has been very entertaining for patients to watch the progress, a lot of older people I know give me updates on what is happening with the building.’
‘When the Clinical Service Building is completed, we will have the refurbishment of the ground floor wards which is wonderful. This will include some single rooms for palliative care which is something that I’m very passionate about.’
‘We have a wonderful community and fabulous staff and it’s such a wonderful thing to be doing, it’s an honour to be part of the planning and delivery of this hospital for our community, staff and patients now and into the future.
Samantha Cave from the Capital and Asset Services Branch who has worked with Ms Tanswell on the project for the last three years, says her passion for the Atherton community is evident.
‘She is committed to ensuring that the Atherton Community has access to the best healthcare, through delivery of the new buildings at the hospital site, ‘she said.
‘She is also a champion human being! A true treasure.’