Community Health Centre
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October 2023

At the recent Planning and Delivery Committee meeting on 10 October, the functional design brief and schedule were presented to the group and endorsed, allowing the project to progress to master planning and concept design.

​Designing a Community Health Centre that can be flexible and adaptable is key for this project and will help inform which community health services will move into this new building.

Site investigations at Soper Place are ongoing, while the project team investigates the best opportunities for the new Community Health Centre. We are still working towards the completion of a master plan by the end of the year.

Patient Focus

As part of the early planning stages for the Community Health Centre, the NBMLHD completed a Service Statement. The Service Statement considers current service demands for community-based care across the LHD and future projections, as well as population growth and demographics. Based on this information, the Community Health Centre at Soper Place will provide integrated community and primary care services for adults with chronic and complex conditions.

​Planning, design and construction process

The project is undertaking a comprehensive planning, design and delivery process to deliver the new community health centre in partnership with the NBMLHD.

To learn more about how Health Infrastructure builds health facilities, in this short video.

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Master planning and concept design

Now that the lead design team and LHD have an endorsed functional design and schedule of accommodation at Soper Place site, they can move forward with master planning and concept design. 

Master planning is where the project team and users discuss how the building will be orientated on the site, where the key access and exit points for vehicles and pedestrians will be, as well as parking zones.

A Planning and Delivery Committee (PDC) has been established - attended by community health managers - which meets monthly. Working groups and project user groups have also begun with some departments and community health staff to determine the functional design for the new building.

Clinical scope

Further work is being undertaken to determine exactly which services and departments will be included in the new Community Health Centre and how the new centre will interact and connect with other community-based health services in the NBMLHD.

Before the full list of clinical services can be locked in, it will need to be reviewed and endorsed by key leadership groups including the Nepean Redevelopment Executive Steering committee and NBMLHD board.

Staff decanting and relocating

Delivering this project will mean that some services may need to be decanted to other location.  
This is a complex and important step that will take time to figure out.

Everyone is working hard to determine the best options and we appreciate your support and patience. We’ll provide further updates when we have them.

It is important to note that services that are not in scope for Soper Place will not close, it’s just a matter of finding the right alternative location.

Next public milestone

Our next major milestone for the project will be when we unveil the master plan for the new Community Health Centre. The master plan shows the building’s scale and orientation on site as well as parking and site entry.

Upcoming activities and meetings

The next Planning and Delivery Committee is on 14 November 2023 at 2-3pm.

Key contacts for more information

August 2023

  • ​Health Infrastructure has appointed a lead design team which is working closely with the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD), the Nepean Redevelopment team and community health staff to deliver the project.

  • ​The lead design team includes external organisations who are experts in designing health facilities, including Lineaire Projects (project manager), Sherson Artchitecture (architect) and MBMpl (cost planner).

Patient focus

  • As part of the early planning stages for the Community Health Centre, the NBMLHD completed a Service Statement. The Service Statement considers current service demands for community-based care across the LHD and future projections, as well as population growth and demographics.

  • ​Based on this information, the Community Health Centre at Soper Place will provide integrated community and primary care services for adults with chronic and complex conditions.

​​Planning, design and construction process
  • ​The project is undertaking a comprehensive planning, design and delivery process to deliver the new community health centre in partnership with the NBMLHD.

  • ​​A Planning and Delivery Committee (PDC) has been established - attended by community health managers - which meets monthly. Working groups and project user groups have also begun with some departments and community health staff to determine the functional design for the new building.

Clinical scope

  • Further work is being undertaken to determine exactly which services and departments will be included in the new Community Health Centre and how the new centre will interact and connect with other community-based health services in the NBMLHD.

  • Before the full list of clinical services can be locked in, it will need to be reviewed and endorsed by key leadership groups including the Nepean Redevelopment Executive Steering committee and NBMLHD board.

Functional design, concept design and master plan

  • In addition to the clinical scope discussions, the lead design team is working with the LHD on the functional and concept design, which includes determining the schedule of accommodation for the Soper Place site. The schedule of accommodation confirms the number of beds, clinical spaces or chairs required. This process will ensure the facility can provide a range of flexible clinical spaces, consult rooms, waiting areas, support and administration spaces.

Staff decanting and relocating

  • Delivering this project will mean that services not included in scope will need to be relocated to other appropriate facilities within the LHD. It also means that services currently in Soper Place and in scope will need to be decanted during construction.

  • This is a complex and important step that will take time to figure out. Everyone is working hard to determine the best options and we appreciate your support and patience. We’ll provide further updates when we have them. It is important to note that services that are not in scope will not close, it’s just a matter of finding the right alternative location.

Upcoming activities and meetings

  • The next Planning and Delivery Committee is on Tuesday 8 August 2023

  • Functional Design Brief PUGs - Series of 3: 26-7-2023, 9-8-2023, 16-8-2023

Key contacts for more information

May 2023

  • The scope of the new Community Health Service at Soper Place will be determined by the District’s clinical services plan, staff and community feedback, and upcoming prioritisation workshops with key representatives. 

  • ​Project User Groups will be established with representatives from those services included in scope, to inform the planning and design of the new Community Health Centre.

  • ​Construction is expected to commence following planning approvals. 

Background

  • The NSW Government is delivering a new Community Health Centre in Penrith as part of Stage 2 of the Nepean Redevelopment.

  • ​Following extensive site investigations and consultation with staff and community, the new purpose-built facility will be built at Soper Place in Penrith’s CBD.

  • ​The Soper Place site was chosen due to its proximity to Penrith’s CBD and public transport and is currently an asset of Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD).