ACT government discussing with Calvary over its role in northside hospital

Authorities are considering whether the new northside hospital will be built on the existing site of Calvary Public Hospital Bruce or on a new site.

Consultants have been asked to consider how a new hospital could be built at Calvary Hospital in Bruce but the government has also left open the option to build a facility at a new site.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith told budget estimates on Tuesday afternoon that the ACT government was in discussions with Calvary about the future of the northside hospital.

She said the government had a contract with Calvary to run a public hospital in Canberra's north for the next 76 years.

"The Calvary Network Agreement is currently a contract that has another 76 years to run that requires us to pay Calvary to run a public hospital on the north side of Canberra and has a range of requirements in it," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"Obviously we're working very closely with Calvary to understand what a new northside hospital would look like and their role in that."

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Officials told estimates a team of people had been recruited to the ACT Health directorate to help with planning work on the northside hospital.

Tender documents have revealed the government has planned to announce funding and its plans for the new hospital in next year's territory budget.

Officials from the ACT government have undertaken preliminary analysis of whether to build on the Calvary site or on a new site to be about 12 hectares.

But either option would deliver "essentially the same hospital" with clinical services and design requirements to be largely the same.

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