Building guidelines

Under the Private Health Facilities Act 2007 the Secretary of the NSW Ministry of Health can impose conditions relating to the design and construction of any building to be built, altered or extended for the purposes of operating a licensed private health facility.

 

Before any building work is commenced an applicant for a licence for a new facility, or the licensee of an existing licensed facility, must apply to and receive written approval, from NSW Ministry of Health for the plans and specifications for the facility.

 

An applicant for a licence for a new facility is required to complete an Application for a Licence for a Private Health Facility. The licensee of an existing licensed facility must complete an Application for Alterations or Extensions to a Licensed Private Health Facility.    

   

Submissions and architectural plans will be assessed against the Australasian Health Facility Guidelines (HFG). Designs for private health facilities that depart from the guidelines will not be approved unless clear patient and/or service benefits can be demonstrated and justified.

 

The construction and design for new and refurbished private facilities must comply with the requirements of a class 9a  building as defined in the Building Code of Australia (BCA).   The requirement to comply with a class 9a building does not apply in respect of any part of a private health facility that is only used to provide chemotherapy or renal dialysis class treatments to patients who are admitted and discharged on the same day.  Copies of  relevant approvals from local government authorities or independent certifiers will be required to be submitted to the Regulation and Compliance Unit as evidence of compliance.

 

In accordance with the Private Health Facilities Act 2007  the Secretary of the NSW Ministry of Health may, on application by the licensee, or if the Secretary otherwise considers it necessary, amend a licence.

 

To apply for an amendment to the approved class of facility and/or the number of patients accommodated at any one time in a facility the licensee must complete an Application for Amendment of a Licence for a Private Health Facility.  The NSW Ministry of Health will provide written confirmation of the approved changes.

 

Please note:  An application to amend a licence and an application to alter or extend a private health facility both attract a fee of $4,660.  However, if an application to amend a licence is accompanied by an application to alter or extend a facility only one fee of $4,660 will apply.