Royal Hobart Hospital Pharmacy Project Makes Progress

Work is progressing well on the construction of a state-of-the-art hospital pharmacy at the Royal Hobart Hospital, with the first phase of the project expected to be completed early next year.

The $22 million Royal Hobart Hospital Pharmacy Redevelopment Project will deliver an expanded pharmacy – including new manufacturing and distribution facilities – to meet the growing demand for pharmaceutical services at the RHH and across the state.

The project works are now 30 percent complete, with the walls framed and the underlying electrical, data, plumbing, heating and cooling systems installed to support the delivery of pharmacy services.

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing Guy Barnett said the world-class facilities would improve the delivery of clinical services across the state and help attract and retain more pharmacists.

“The Royal Hobart Hospital Pharmacy plays a vital role in delivering health care to inpatients and outpatients and in supporting local and national pharmacy services,” Minister Barnett said.

“The redevelopment of the pharmacy with new and expanded capabilities for dispensing and manufacturing pharmaceutical products will enhance the support of our pharmacy services to specialist departments across the hospital, including cancer, surgery and adult and neonatal intensive care.

Importantly, the new facilities will also benefit pharmacy operations across Tasmania and support staff recruitment and retention through enhanced staff support spaces and dedicated facilities for clinical research, education and clinical trials.

“Our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future is focused on taking greater action now on issues that affect Tasmanians, like health.”

The main facilities to be realised by the redevelopment include:

1. Areas for comprehensive drug provision to inpatients and outpatients.
2. New sterile drug production areas.
3. Facilities to support medication management and pharmaceutical inventory services throughout the RHH and the supply of medications to outpatient clinics.
4. Dedicated space for clinical research, education and clinical trials.
5. Facilities and meeting rooms to support local and national pharmacy administration.

The expanded RHH pharmacy will also significantly increase the production of highly complex drugs, including intravenous chemotherapy for cancer patients.

The specialized sterile environment also allows us to produce food for our most vulnerable patients, such as premature babies, who are sometimes born too young or too small to receive milk or formula.

The expanded pharmacy allows the RHH to provide nutrition for the first time using tailor-made nutritional fluids prepared on site.

The Jack Jumper Ant Venom Immune Therapy program will also be housed at the new pharmacy and will have new manufacturing facilities.

The construction has been carefully managed to ensure that services can continue during the construction period.

Hutchinson Builders is delivering the $22 million project, which is expected to be completed in mid-2025.