Published on Thursday, 31 August 2023 at 4:02:04 PM
The Shire of Boddington is pleased to announce significant progress in its Aged Care Accommodation project. Following a careful review of three potential sites for a new Residential Aged Care facility, the Shire, in collaboration with specialists in the industry, has identified and secured the necessary land to progress the project within the Hospital precinct and adjacent to the Independent Living Units (ILV’s).
A land purchase adjacent to the ILV’s is the latest move by the Shire to continue to open up opportunities for the site, following a lack of success to date in negotiating with the Western Australian Country Health Service (WACHS).
The Hospital Precinct was identified as the preferred site for the facility in August 2022, however, WACHS have recently provided feedback that the land around the hospital is required for a future helicopter landing pad, and staff housing. To allow the project to progress, in August 2023, Council determined that the land adjacent to the Independent Living Village was also suitable for the facility, and could be used to attract a private operator.
With the preferred site now confirmed as viable, the Shire is preparing to issue a formal Request for Proposal in early 2024. To facilitate this process, a Project Steering Committee is being established to transition the project from the Boddington Aged Care Committee to a formal governance structure managing high levels of risk and complexity. The Shire would like to acknowledge the unwavering dedication of the Aged Care Committee who have met many times, in particular over the last 2 years, in order to continue highlighting the need and direction for this project.
The delayed progress of this project, while frustrating, has proven to be of benefit as the residential aged care industry is currently in turmoil with many facilities closing their doors in the past year. The industry has grappled with new, stringent government regulations that took effect on 1 July 2023. The ability to plan for these changes will have a positive benefit on the project in Boddington in the long term, providing the best opportunity for a sustainable operation.
With an estimated build cost of between $11.6M and $14.96M, the Aged Care Accommodation facility is the largest single project to be progressed by the Shire.
With many steps yet to achieve, this project will continue to require sustained levels of focus to deliver an outcome in the coming years. Council continues to recognise the project as a high priority for the community and has allocated resources accordingly.
For more information, visit the project page on the Shire website.
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