Govt’s $440m Development to Double Shoalhaven Hospital
The NSW government is pressing ahead with plans for a $440-million state-of-the-art health facility for the Shoalhaven region on the state’s south coast.
The new seven-storey Shoalhaven Hospital, which will include a helipad, will be built next to the existing hospital with construction preparing to commence in 2023 and earmarked for completion in 2026.
The state significant development application was submitted earlier this year with early works on site due to commence soon and the main works tender expected to be announced by the end of the year.
The planned health hub in Nowra to service the region, providing the majority of emergency, critical care, acute and sub-acute and non-admitted services locally, will aim to reduce the need to transfer patients to Wollongong and Sydney.
It will increase beds and treatment spaces from the current 245 to 490.
A new emergency department, medical imaging, mental health unit, pharmacy, cardiac unit, intensive care unit and endoscopy hub are included in the project.
Designs for the hospital were unveiled in March with the local community invited to provide feedback to inform the design of the project.
The project is part of the state government’s $10.8 billion investment in health infrastructure by 2025, with nearly a third of the capital allocation going towards regional and rural health facilities.
Minister for regional health Bronnie Taylor said a new acute services building connecting to the existing hospital, rooftop helipad, and refurbishment of existing hospital buildings are just some of the highlights of the major redevelopment.
“The state government is also improving access to the hospital with alternate entry and drop off areas on Shoalhaven Street and off North Street,” Taylor said.
“There will also be a new dedicated entrance for ambulances.
“The project team has been working closely with clinicians and key healthcare stakeholders.”
To accommodate the new hospital building, the existing preschool onsite will be relocated to the southern end of the hospital campus. This follows extensive consultation with the preschool operators and Shoalhaven City Council.
The much-needed upgrade comes as Shoalhaven Hospital remains under continued pressure with only 46 per cent patients having their treatment start on time and only 47 per cent leaving within four hours.
Nearly half of ambulances across the Illawarra Shoalhaven region wait more than 30 minutes to transfer their patient to emergency department staff, the second worst result in NSW.
Member for Keira and shadow minister for Health Ryan Park said these figures were the result of more than a decade of underfunding and under resourcing.
The hospital development will complement other health projects, including $700 million for the new Shellharbour Hospital and recently completed projects including $11.8 million for the new Shoalhaven Hospital multi-storey car park, $37.1 million towards the Bulli Hospital, and the Dapto and Ulladulla HealthOne projects.
Since 2011, the state government has delivered more than 180 hospitals and health facilities across NSW, with more than 130 currently under way—of those, more than 90 are in rural and regional areas.
The 2022-23 NSW budget included funding for two new major redevelopments at Grafton Base Hospital and Bathurst Hospital.
The funding is in addition to other major works announced previously as part of the $500 million investment into regional health services including redevelopments or upgrades in Cessnock, Temora, Albury, Finley, Maitland, Batemans Bay, Forster-Tuncurry and Broken Hill.
