Children needing specialist care will benefit from an extra $619 million for further upgrades to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, bringing the total investment in the world-class health precinct to $1.6 billion.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the additional investment will fund Stage 2 of the hospital’s redevelopment and comes on top of the $1 billion transformation of Westmead, the State’s flagship health, education and research precinct.
“This significant expansion to paediatric health services in Western Sydney will ensure The Children’s Hospital at Westmead continues to be a world leader in providing care for sick children right across the state,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This is a massive expansion to paediatric health services for NSW, made possible due to the Liberals & Nationals’ strong economic management of this state.”
This additional $619 million investment is estimated to create 6190 direct and indirect jobs during construction, further growing our economy.
Today’s announcement follows a commitment by the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government to recruit an additional 8300 frontline hospital staff, including 5000 nurses and midwives.
The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is also building a $608 million Comprehensive Children’s Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick as part of a rebuild of the hospital, which will include a new emergency department.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the further investment for Stage 2 will greatly increase capacity at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
“This significant additional funding will deliver both new and expanded health services for our state’s sickest children, including intensive care, cancer services and mental health care services,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The NSW Government is transforming hospitals and health facilities right across the State in a record building boom, to ensure patients continue to receive world-class care.
“The Liberals & Nationals have invested nearly $10 billion in health infrastructure since 2011 and have committed more than $8 billion in the next term.”
The Stage 2 redevelopment will include a new Paediatric Services Building (PSB) and refurbishment of the existing facilities, including:
- Operating Theatres
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
- Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
- Cancer Services
- Pharmacy Department
- Expansion of Pathology services
- Mental Health inpatient and ambulatory care
- Car parking
The Westmead precinct includes Westmead Hospital, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Cumberland Hospital and Westmead Private Hospital, together with a number of world-leading medical research institutes, two university campuses and the largest research-intensive pathology service in NSW.
This investment follows the NSW Government’s funding of $95 million for Stage 1 of the redevelopment of the Children’s Hospital at Westmead currently underway.
Stage 1 includes a new children’s Emergency Department and paediatric short stay units, and additional pharmacy and medical imaging facilities within the Westmead Precinct Central Acute Services Building.
“As the population of Western Sydney continues to grow, the NSW State Government will ensure the health needs of this growing community are met both now and into the future,” Mr Hazzard said.
Early construction works on Stage 2 are expected to commence in 2020.