The Hunter region is set to benefit from a new purpose-built ambulance station, following the finalisation of the purchase of a site on Winepress Road, North Rothbury.
The North Rothbury Ambulance Station is one of five new ambulance stations being delivered across the Hunter region to boost frontline emergency services, as part of the NSW Government's $615.5 million NSW Ambulance Infrastructure Program.
The new ambulance station will provide a first-class workplace for local paramedics and will bolster high-quality emergency medical care for North Rothbury, Branxton and surrounding communities, well into the future.
NSW Ambulance identified North Rothbury as a high priority location for a new station, following a comprehensive service planning process using best practice modelling software to map Triple Zero (000) calls.
The site announcement follows a thorough evaluation by Health Infrastructure and NSW Ambulance to ensure the location meets the needs of emergency ambulance operations and paramedic staff.
The site has good access to the Hunter Expressway and is ideally positioned to optimise ambulance response times and enhance the ambulance station network in the Hunter region.
The new ambulance station will feature internal parking for emergency ambulance vehicles, vehicle wash facilities, administration, multipurpose and logistics spaces, as well as staff amenities.
Next steps for the project include design development and planning approval. Construction and operational timeframes will be confirmed as the project progresses, and the community will be kept informed throughout project planning and delivery.
The NSW Government is delivering 30 new ambulance stations and supporting infrastructure across Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle, the Hunter and Illawarra regions over the coming years.
New station locations include Gateshead, Caves Beach, Edgeworth and East Maitland in the Hunter region, as well as North Sydney, South Windsor, Oran Park, Berowra, Prestons, Moss Vale, Narrabeen, Bargo, Lisarow, Glendenning, Carlingford, Macquarie Park, Unanderra and Warilla.
The Minns Labor Government is building more health infrastructure and facilities to meet the growing health needs of the community.
It is also recruiting 2,500 additional NSW Ambulance staff, including 500 paramedics to rural and regional areas, to boost emergency and mobile healthcare across metropolitan and regional communities.
The Minns Labor Government is working to undo over a decade of Liberal cuts to health workers and health infrastructure delays.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
"Today's announcement means the communities of North Rothbury and Branxton are one step closer to receiving the essential infrastructure they need.
"The North Rothbury Ambulance Station will support local paramedics to provide the best emergency and mobile medical care well into the future.
"The announcement of the site marks a significant milestone in delivering a vital health service for the Hunter Valley community and surrounding areas.
"More ambulance stations, more paramedics, faster response times, and better patient outcomes. It's as simple as that."
Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Hunter, Yasmin Catley:
"As more people call the Hunter home, the Minns Labor Government is working hard to ensure our essential services keep up.
"After decades of the Opposition overlooking the Hunter and failing to deliver the infrastructure needed to make our suburbs liveable, communities here paid the price but we're turning that around.
"I'm proud to see we're another step closer to bringing a purpose-built ambulance station to North-Rothbury. It means parents can feel safer raising their families here, aging residents can stay in their homes longer and locals can trust that quality health care is right around the corner.
"Bringing emergency care into the heart of the community will have benefits far beyond faster response times. It strengthens our resilience in times of natural disasters, supports local jobs and creates new training opportunities for future paramedics.
"This station will help ease pressure on nearby hospitals, encourage more healthcare professionals to build their careers in the Hunter and give residents the confidence that support is never far away."
Quotes attributable to Member for Cessnock, Clayton Barr:
"Paramedics across the Hunter will have five new purpose-built ambulance stations to support them as they deliver care to the community when and where it's needed."
"The ambulance station at North Rothbury will bolster emergency care and support existing ambulance stations including at Kurri Kurri, Cessnock, Singleton and Rutherford."
