The Minns Labor Government is ensuring the Hawkesbury community will continue to have access to high quality healthcare, with the transition of Hawkesbury Hospital pathology services to NSW Health.
Starting this week, NSW Health Pathology (NSWHP) will ensure the continuation of a 24-hour, 7-day service with a full range of pathology testing services at Hawkesbury Hospital.
This includes on-site core chemistry, haematology, transfusion and central specimen reception, as well as inpatient pathology and outpatient collection services.
Patients will experience no change to how they currently receive their care or collections.
The pathology collection service will maintain its current opening hours of Monday to Friday, 8:00am - 4.30pm. Anyone in the community with a pathology request form from their GP can use the collection service and all eligible tests are bulk billed. NSWHP collection staff will also continue to service inpatients throughout the hospital.
Specialised services will be provided from NSWHP's Nepean Laboratory and will be the main referral laboratory providing support for Hawkesbury District Hospital.
As the preferred provider and commissioner of public pathology services for NSW Health, NSWHP is committed to working with Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District to ensure local communities in the Hawkesbury continue to access high quality, efficient and reliable public pathology services, regardless of where they live.
NSWHP is also investing in the latest diagnostic technology, such as point of care testing to support faster urgent testing capabilities and the latest automated chemistry analysers.
NSWHP is Australia's largest provider of public pathology services, with over 5,000 staff working at more than 60 laboratories and 150+ collection centres across NSW.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Ryan Park:
"NSW Health Pathology's integrated network means it is uniquely positioned to ensure public hospital patients have equitable access to safe, timely and reliable pathology services.
"I'm pleased to see that detailed planning has resulted in a smooth transition between the pathology service providers, with no disruption to patient care."
Quotes attributable to NSWHP Local Pathology Director for Nepean Blue Mountains, Dr James Branley:
"There will be many benefits to patients, staff and the local Hawkesbury community as a result of this transition.
"Clinicians will have access to pathology results across the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, with results available in the electronic medical record immediately post validation by the laboratory, to support more rapid and consistent patient diagnosis.
"The transition will also align and standardise the provision of pathology across the four hospitals in NBMLHD, leading to consistent clinical governance and patient care, as well as improved visibility of diagnostic pathology results."
Quotes attributable to General Manager of Hawkesbury District Hospital, Bethany Pade:
"Work will soon start on refurbishing the pathology collection waiting area to make it a brighter, more comfortable space for patients coming in for their pathology tests.
"I'd like to extend a warm welcome to the NSW Health Pathology team to the campus.
"I recognise the staff at Hawkesbury District Hospital have undergone and continue to experience significant changes since the transition to NSW Health, and I thank everyone for their dedication and patience as we work through this transition."
