Geraldton Cancer Centre to be built in 2016

• A Federal Government Health and Hospital Fund project
• State Government awards $5.3 million contract to local Geraldton builder
• Project set for completion late 2016

The Midwest Cancer Centre is one step closer with the preferred contractor for the project, Geraldton Building Services and Cabinets Pty Ltd, clearing the site ready for construction.

Member for Durack Melissa Price said the $4.1 million centre would allow cancer patients from Geraldton and around the Midwest to be treated closer to home and in contemporary, state-of-the-art facilities.

“The Cancer Centre will provide additional treatment facilities, including a six-chair and one-bed chemotherapy unit for Midwest residents diagnosed with cancer,” said Ms Price.

“The new centre will mean that more cancer patients from the region will be able to be treated nearer to family and social networks, depending on clinical advice.”

Ms Price said the prevalence of cancer continued to rise, with more than 208,500 people now on the Western Australian Cancer Registry.

“More than 11,700 West Australians were diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and that number looks to increase to more than 14,000 by 2017,” she said.

“Sadly, cancer is a condition which touches almost every Australian family at some point, so there is a clear need to establish services in regional areas that can cope with local needs.

“Understanding the increasing demand for cancer services is crucial to future planning.

“Investing in appropriate health clinic infrastructure and services in remote locations is important to the ongoing viability of regional Western Australia.”

Ms Price said the project was fully funded under the Federal Government’s Health and Hospital program and this component of the build, at $1.2 million, brings the total project cost to $5.3 million.

To maximise efficiencies within project management and to reduce preliminary costs, the $4.1 million cancer centre will be built at the same time as the $1.2 million consulting room accommodation and office for the renal unit.

The successful tenderer, Geraldton Building Services and Cabinets Pty Ltd, was one of six companies to tender for the project. Site works have commenced and the project is expected to be completed in late 2016.