Day surgery centres are reshaping private healthcare in Australia. Patients are increasingly choosing same-day procedures for convenience, safety, and affordability. At the same time, surgeons and practice owners see the value in having more control over patient care, surgical lists, and the overall experience. When surgical lists are scarce, every surgeon needs to find the best place to operate on patients.
However, building and operating a day surgery centre is a big project. The regulatory hurdles are challenging. The setup and operating costs are high. It requires navigating strict compliance, securing financing, and managing a team of architects, builders, consultants, and regulatory authorities.
This article explains how to build a day surgery centre in Australia — from concept to completion — with practical insights, real examples, and key resources.
Every successful project starts with a clear vision.
Ask yourself:
Day hospitals are heavily regulated in Australia to ensure patient safety.
Tip: Engage accreditation consultants early — many projects fail or are delayed because infection control, documentation, or design compliance is overlooked during the planning stage.
A day surgery build is way too complex to manage alone. You’ll need a multi-disciplinary team:
Warning: Using general builders or architects without healthcare experience often leads to costly redesigns, operational or accreditation failures.
Design is where compliance, function, and patient experience intersect.
The fitout phase turns a sterile hospital environment into a welcoming, patient-friendly space.
A well-designed fitout not only supports accreditation but also builds patient trust.
Before your centre can open, you’ll need:
Strong leadership and well-trained staff are just as important as physical infrastructure.
Building costs are only one part of the equation. Long-term financial sustainability depends on careful planning.
Successful day surgery centres across Australia show different models:
Each example requires early planning, experienced consultants, and strict compliance management for best results
Lesson: Investing in specialist expertise early is cheaper than fixing compliance issues later.
Building a day surgery centre in Australia is a rewarding but complex undertaking. It requires vision, capital, and careful execution across design, compliance, staffing, and financial planning.
By assembling the right team and focusing on both compliance and patient experience, you can create a facility that delivers world-class care and long-term independence for surgeons and practice owners.
For many surgeons performing procedures that are low-yield or poorly funded in a private hospital (e.g. dentists and plastic surgeons doing post weight loss skin removal), building your own facility is essential to keep performing procedures.
Other surgeon specialities that perform a high-volume of day cases that pay well are also motivated to build and control their own facility.
Cosmetic Doctors (previously called Cosmetic Surgeons) who are unable to get accreditation in larger private hospitals also buy or operate their own Day Surgery Centres.
Here is a list of some of the design & construction (D&C) elements required for a day surgery centre class 5 – L.A./SEDATION CAT B
Offering a range of procedures in a multi-specialty day surgery centre has worked well for many hospitals
Here are some well-run Day Surgery Centres – See DHA list of members
Many plastic surgeons in UK have also built their own facilities when private hospital access was limited.
www.capsco.co.uk is the Consortium of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Clinic Owners
Some well-run Day Surgery Centres in UK
Many plastic surgeons in New Zealand had to build their own facilities when private hospital access was limited.
Here are some useful contacts
The minimum space required for one operating theatre is about 60 sqm, but most day surgery centres require 500–750 sqm or larger to include reception, recovery bays, sterilisation areas (CSSD), staff amenities, and patient waiting areas.
Approvals are staged and usually include: concept approval, approval in principle, approval to construct, and approval to occupy. Each step must meet licensing and accreditation standards set by state health departments and accrediting agencies such as Global Mark or ACSC.
Timelines vary, but it can take 12–36 months to move from concept to final occupancy approval. Delays often occur due to incomplete compliance documentation, changes in design scope, or slow responses from licensing authorities.
Yes. Accreditation is mandatory and ensures the facility meets national safety and quality standards. NHSQS Accreditation covers infection control, clinical governance, patient safety, and OHS. Common accrediting agencies include CPG, Global Mark, and ACSC.
Day surgery centres are typically classified as Class 9b buildings under the National Construction Code. Centres that provide overnight stays or higher-level services may require Class 9a hospital classification.
Category B procedures involve local anaesthetic or sedation, while Category A procedures require general anaesthesia. The classification affects the facility’s design, staffing, equipment, and accreditation requirements.
Common services include selected plastic and cosmetic surgery, ophthalmology, IVF and gynaecology, dermatology, dental implants, ENT procedures, selected orthopaedic surgery, vasectomy, pain management, gastroenterology, and minor orthopaedic surgeries.
The DON is responsible for clinical governance, staffing, infection control, and compliance. Accreditation requires each centre to have a qualified DON who ensures that patient care and safety meet national standards.
CSSD stands for Central Sterile Services Department. It is the area where surgical instruments are cleaned, sterilised, and prepared for reuse. A compliant CSSD must have separate clean and dirty flows to prevent contamination.
Yes. Most centres require an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or generator backup to maintain safety during power outages, especially for anaesthetic equipment, lighting, and medical gases.
Typical staffing includes a CEO, Director of Nursing, reception/admin staff, theatre nurses, anaesthetic technicians, and sterilisation staff. Additional nurses are required if the centre supports overnight stays.
Yes, but overnight facilities must comply with higher accreditation and staffing standards, often shifting the classification toward a hospital (Class 9a). Overnight stays also require more recovery beds and higher nurse-to-patient ratios.
Common pitfalls include underestimating approval timelines, budget overruns from poor planning, inadequate acoustic design, insufficient car parking, and failing to engage healthcare-specific architects or consultants early in the process.
Health fund contracts determine the rebates available to patients. Centres typically negotiate Tier 1, 2, or 3 contracts, which affect patient volume and financial viability. Strong Health Fund contracts make the centre more profitable and more attractive to referring surgeons. Solo Hospitals have less negotiating power than bigger groups.
Infection control is central to licensing and accreditation. Design must include strict clean and dirty flows, sterilisation areas, HEPA-filtered air conditioning, and proper hand hygiene facilities. Poor infection control design can delay accreditation or lead to costly rebuilds.
Yes, but it requires extensive compliance upgrades including air conditioning, power supply, fire safety, and medical gases. Many clinics choose to fit out a shell space rather than build a new facility, but compliance costs can still be significant.
ROI varies widely based on location, specialties, and surgeon utilisation. Well-run centres with strong health fund contracts and consistent surgeon lists often achieve profitability within 3–5 years.
Adequate car parking is essential for patient safety and convenience, and it is often a requirement of local council approvals. Lack of sufficient parking can delay approvals or create operational bottlenecks.
Key factors include location, efficient theatre scheduling, strong health fund contracts, modern facilities, and patient-friendly environments. Surgeons also value centres with consistently reliable staff, convenient parking and governance structures that reduce administrative burden. Surgeons also appreciate good coffee and snacks like hot chips 🙂
Yes. Zoning requirements vary by state but generally mandate approval for healthcare use, ambulance access, waste management systems, and adherence to building codes specific to medical facilities.
Yes. Operating hours are flexible, and many centres use Saturday lists to meet patient demand and increase utilisation. However, staffing and accreditation standards must still be met during weekend operations.
Very important. Poor acoustic design can lead to privacy breaches in consult rooms and theatres. Accreditation bodies may flag insufficient soundproofing, forcing costly retrofits.
From concept to completion, most projects take 18–30 months. This includes design, approvals, construction, fitout, accreditation, and operational setup. Projects can extend much longer if regulatory approvals are delayed.
Location choice depends on patient demographics, surgeon accessibility, local competition, and zoning approvals. Proximity to referring doctors and good transport links are crucial. Regional centres may benefit from reduced competition, while city-based centres offer larger patient pools but face stricter planning rules.
Yes. Many groups lease shell spaces in medical precincts and fit them out for surgical use. Leasing reduces upfront capital costs but may increase long-term operating expenses. Compliance upgrades such as air conditioning, power, and CSSD facilities still add significantly to fitout costs.
Australian guidelines generally require big operating theatres compared to outside Australia (typically 60 square metres plus). Additional space is required for scrub areas, anaesthetic bays, and storage. Smaller rooms risk non-compliance with accreditation and functional inefficiencies for staff.
Quantity surveyors manage cost control, tendering, and budgeting. Their role is critical in preventing budget blowouts, especially when medical equipment, infection control upgrades, and compliance testing add unexpected costs.
Beyond patient privacy in consult rooms, acoustics also affect operating theatres and recovery areas. Noise control reduces stress for patients under sedation and prevents distraction for surgical teams. Accreditation may require specific soundproofing standards to be documented.
Most day hospitals must provide ambulance-friendly access. Even if most procedures are same-day, regulations require provisions for emergency transfers, resuscitation, and patient safety. Lack of ambulance access can delay licensing approvals.
Yes, many centres integrate a MedSpa or non-surgical wing. These services boost revenue streams, enhance patient loyalty, and allow surgeons to cross-refer patients. However, non-surgical areas must remain separate from sterile surgical areas to comply with infection control.
Day surgery centres are licensed for same-day procedures without overnight stays (usually Class 9b). Private hospitals (Class 9a) allow overnight or multi-day admissions. This difference affects staffing, facility design, emergency backup, and accreditation.
Operating lists are typically allocated in advance, often in half-day or full-day blocks. Surgeons may contract for weekly sessions or book ad hoc based on patient load. Efficient scheduling maximises theatre utilisation and financial viability.
At a minimum, facilities require anaesthetic machines, patient monitoring equipment, sterilisation (CSSD), recovery beds, resuscitation equipment, suction and oxygen supply, and surgical lighting. Specialty equipment depends on the type of procedures performed.
Insurance requirements include professional indemnity, public liability, property insurance, workers’ compensation, and medical malpractice coverage. Insurers may request proof of accreditation before granting cover.
Yes. Many centres are structured as partnerships or companies owned by multiple specialists. Co-ownership spreads financial risk, secures multiple referral streams, and improves utilisation of theatres. Shareholder agreements and governance frameworks are essential.
Adding overnight capacity increases staffing costs significantly. Regulations often require higher nurse-to-patient ratios and extra recovery facilities. This can add hundreds of thousands annually to operating costs, and may change the building classification from 9b to 9a.
Yes. Many day hospitals accommodate oral maxillofacial surgeries, dental implants, and podiatry procedures requiring sedation or general anaesthesia. These specialties can diversify revenue streams and improve utilisation.
Construction must follow infection control principles, including dust barriers, filtered air circulation, and separate clean/dirty zones. Infection control experts often review design and construction plans before approval.
The ratio depends on patient load and case mix. A common guideline is at least two recovery spaces per theatre, with more required for longer anaesthetic procedures or multi-speciality centres.
The DHA represents private day hospitals across Australia, providing advocacy, compliance support, benchmarking, and networking. Membership can help operators stay updated on regulatory changes and industry standards.
In most cases, no. GP clinics rarely meet space, infection control, and compliance requirements. Extensive renovations would be required, including upgrading air conditioning, structural changes, sterilisation areas, and medical gas infrastructure.
Yes. Centres may qualify for accelerated depreciation on medical equipment, capital works deductions, and GST input credits. Tax strategies should be structured with professional financial advice.
Studies show patients often prefer day surgery centres for their efficiency, reduced infection risk, shorter stays, and personalised care. Well-designed centres also provide a more comfortable, boutique experience compared to large hospitals.
Common options include private equity, bank financing, joint ventures with other specialists, or partnering with established hospital operators. Lenders often require a detailed feasibility study and signed surgeon commitments before approving funding.
Yes, if the original design includes provisions for expansion. This typically means oversizing services (power, HVAC, sterilisation capacity) and allocating shell space that can later be converted into a second theatre.
Acoustic testing ensures rooms meet soundproofing standards for confidentiality. Many accrediting agencies request test reports before granting approval to occupy.
There are many holidays, maintenance downtime, and accreditation reviews. Financial models should account for these non-operational weeks. If your O.R. can be utilised for 200+ days per year then you are doing well.
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