St John of God has abandoned plans to build a “world-class” mothers and babies’ centre as part of a major redevelopment at its flagship Subiaco hospital.
The original $311 million expansion included a clinical block, including 10 new birthing suites, a new neonatal intensive care unit and a new operating theatre.
St John of God Subiaco redevelopment artist’s impression.Credit: St John of God.
The mothers and babies’ centre and new neonatal intensive care unit were billed as a major drawcard for the development, alongside a new heart centre, new operating theatres and larger hotel-style single rooms.
In April, St John of God moved the centre to the top two floors of the eight-storey development, but last month it successfully applied to the WA Planning Commission to remove those two storeys and, in the process, the mothers and babies’ centre.
Subiaco is one of the busiest private maternity wards in the state and the redeveloped centre was partially cited as St John of God’s reason to close maternity services at Mount Lawley in December 2023.
“Consolidating private maternity services at two sites will enable us to continue to develop and enhance our services with our highly skilled workforce,” St John of God Health Care Group chief executive Bryan Pyne said in November 2023.
“St John of God Subiaco Hospital has the capacity to provide these services and is well progressed with the planning to deliver a new eight-storey clinical facility that will include a world-class Mother and Baby Centre.”
Acting chief executive Vanessa Tran said the updated plan ensured the hospital could meet community health care needs while “making responsible and efficient use of resources”.
“Under Stage Three of the redevelopment, the clinical building will be a six-storey design and will no longer include a new Family Birthing Centre. Flexibility has been built into the plans to allow for future expansion if required,” she said.
