This is despite community anger the Health Department used the town’s community park for the $19 million facility and problems with initial groundworks.

But the hospital, with a section for residential and palliative care, is not expected to be opened until February because of the close proximity to Christmas and the summer holidays, with Denmark being filled to capacity by tourists.

“Denmark Hospital is well on the way to being completed,” Great Southern Health manager Rob Pulsford said.

“We are expecting construction work to be completed by mid-December and we are planning on a transition into the new facility early in the new year, probably early in February.”

Mr Pulsford said the later-than-expected changeover was because staff would be put under too much pressure having to change over from the old health centre, given the time of year when Denmark gets extremely busy.

“It’s a time when staff are under the pump, and also, we have staff wanting to go on leave,” he said. “It’s not a good time to move a whole service from old to new, so we are just taking our time.”

Mr Pulsford said this was backed by the need to have access to contractors in case problems developed.

“It has come up really well,” he said. “Once it is open, and the community is accessing it, they will see it is a great asset.

“It is a good, contemporary design and great to see it come to fruition.”

Finishing touches are being applied to the new health complex in Scotsdale Road with builder, DORIC, literally counting down the days in expectation of a final hand-over to the Health Department.

The U-shape design ensures all parts of the hospital open to a central, landscaped courtyard, with sections separated by ornamental fencing.

The construction blends rammed earth with timber and metal, while the rolled-ridge-cap roof adds to the earthy colours to soften the modern design.

One section of the facility holds the multi-purpose administration area and specialists’ rooms, with the main entry at a corner opening to emergency, a maternity ward and operating area.

The 22-bed residential component has its own central access and overlooks bush down to the river. A multi-use community path leads to the town centre and provides public access.