Master Builders award for endoscopy project

Local construction company Paynters has been awarded a major housing and construction award for its work on Townsville University Hospital’s new endoscopy department.

The project involved doubling the capacity of the department from two to four procedure rooms, two dedicated reverse osmosis facilities for water purity and an inbuilt sterilisation zone crucial to meeting rigorous new national safety standards.

Paynters project manager Paul Goldsack said the Queensland Master Builders housing and construction award was for North Queensland health facilities up to $20 million and was announced on 20 August.

“We are really proud of the work that we’ve done at Townsville University Hospital over the past five years with some pretty major projects,” he said.

“A couple of years ago we picked up an award for our work on the central sterilising department and now this, hopefully there may be a few new ones to come.

“While the award acknowledges the builders' efforts in construction, this project would not have been possible without the collaborative work environment developed with BEMS, infrastructure, clinical staff and the consultant team.

“Not a lot of people know just how challenging and complex major health infrastructure projects are, particularly when you are building in a complex environment surrounded by sensitive operational areas.”

Building, engineering and maintenance engineer Chris Beric said the project had been so complex it was being featured on the front page of the spring edition of the Institute of Healthcare Engineering, Australia, magazine.

“Directly below endoscopy is our cancer centre and directly above our operating theatres,” he said.

“Both these areas care for some of our most vulnerable patients and we were extremely mindful of the need to deliver these works with as little disruption as possible.

“This was one of the most complex projects I’ve ever been involved with so to have it now be a brilliant operational area receiving national recognition is something I am extremely proud of.”
The $5.9 million endoscopy unit opened in 2019.

The expansion was necessary to accommodate a huge increase in demand for endoscopy services, largely driven by the introduction of the Commonwealth Government’s National Bowel Screening Program which provides biennial screening for Australians over 50.

In 2020, an additional 1,500 North Queenslanders are expected to receive their care through the new and expanded endoscopy unit.