Multi-million dollar refurbishments in the Royal Hobart Hospital's main building are underway as the $657 million redevelopment project continues to gather momentum, employing Tasmanians and delivering better facilities for patients.

Areas across three floors of the main RHH building (C-Block) are undergoing construction to the value of $7 million, directly employing 70 tradespeople.

Patients will benefit from newly refurbished clinical areas for the extended day surgery unit, ambulatory care centre, and neurology, neurophysiology and endocrinology offices.

The refurbishment works in C-Block are part of the Redevelopment decanting plan that will safely relocate hospital services so that B-Block can be demolished and the new K-Block built.

A number of services have already relocated to refurbished areas onsite, including patient transport assistance program, physiotherapy gyms, day of surgery admissions, and cardiology and cardiothoracic offices.

All construction works in C-Block will be completed by the end of 2015. B-Block is on track to be decanted so demolition can commence during April 2016.

The Chief Executive Officer of John Holland, Glenn Palin, and the Chief Executive Officer of Fairbrother, Craig Edmunds, said the Joint Venture partners were proud to be delivering a project that is providing a major contribution to the Tasmanian economy.

"At the peak of construction activity across the C-Block works, around 70 tradespeople will be employed on site and we will be looking to maximise local job opportunities wherever possible.

"We are excited to be part of this important project, which will create lasting economic benefits for the state," they said.

Tenders and contract negotiations are being finalised for all other major works due to commence during September 2015. This will see construction on five floors of A-Block, the temporary Liverpool Street forecourt facility, and the physiotherapy gym.

18 Aug 2015