SCUH attracts business opportunities for the region

The new Sunshine Coast University Hospital will attract business opportunities, provide commercial and residential development and boost the regional economy by creating jobs during and after construction.

To help maximize these opportunities the Sunshine Coast University Hospital Business Industry and Development Opportunities Taskforce (SCUH BIDO) will work with the government to prioritise jobs for local businesses.

The Taskforce Chair said the new hospital would create almost 11,000 jobs over the life of the project and offer opportunities to reverse current trends in unemployment and the construction industry.

“This is the single largest construction project in the Sunshine Coast’s history and will provide a range of economic and health benefits to the community,” the Chair said.

“It is anticipated that more than 2000 construction workers will be on site during the peak construction phase of the hospital. In addition, almost 2500 new health staff will be recruited to the Sunshine Coast Health Service District by 2016 when the hospital opens.”

RDA Sunshine Coast leads the SCUH BIDO Taskforce and has committed to support to the new hospital in its 2011 Regional Roadmap.  The Sunshine Coast University Hospital provides significant opportunity to leverage the capacity of existing Sunshine Coast businesses and identify potential areas to diversify the regional economy.

The Taskforce was committed to ensuring residents received the full economic, community health and environmental benefits of the $2.03b hospital project which would provide 738 beds by 2021.

The health precinct at Kawana includes:

  • The public Sunshine Coast University Hospital opening in 2016
  • A privately operated hospital opening in 2013
  • Skills, Academic and Research Centre (SARC)
  • Kawana Health Innovation Park (opportunities for health related commercial developments)
  • Supporting infrastructure such as internal roads and public transport stations.

The SCUH BIDO Taskforce’s key objectives are:

  1. To develop collaborative service delivery arrangements with RDA Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast Council and regional stakeholders to maximize the economic development opportunities arising from the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
  2. Maximise regional economic growth through employment generation and investment attraction on the Sunshine Coast through facilitating “value chain” opportunities identified.

For more details about the Sunshine Coast University Hospital project visit http://www.health.qld.gov.au/scuhospital/default.asp

or

www.scuhbido.org.au

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