New fly-through animation has been released, giving the community a virtual look inside the new Shellharbour Hospital which is currently under construction.
The virtual tour showcases the new facility's light-filled spaces, welcoming interiors, comfortable treatment rooms, and modern clinical areas, including an expanded emergency and surgical department, mental health services, medicine and surgery, rehabilitation, and ambulatory care.
The new Shellharbour Hospital will connect to outdoor and landscaped areas, including the Geera Garden, a 15,000 square metre space, roughly the size of three soccer fields, designed in partnership with local Aboriginal community groups. This garden provides a welcoming space to support the wellbeing of patients, visitors, and staff.
The hospital campus also includes 1,000 carparking spaces located in a multi-storey and street level car park, improved transport links, and a rooftop helipad.
The new hospital forms part of a major investment in health infrastructure for the Illawarra region, reducing the need for residents to travel outside the area for treatment.
Following extensive prior consultation with clinicians, staff and the community, the fly-through provides the community with an opportunity to take a closer look as the building takes shape.
The project includes:
- An expanded Emergency Department
- Enhanced paediatric services, including a new Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU)
- Specialised elective surgery services
- Maternity services, including midwifery-led clinics, doctor-led clinics, midwifery group practice (MGP) clinics, the establishment of an MGP in-home antenatal and postnatal service delivered both in person and virtually, lactation support clinics, gynaecology clinics, women's health physiotherapy, and childbirth education classes
- Rehabilitation and aged care services
- Acute medical services
- Expanded mental health services
- A new drug and alcohol unit
- Renal dialysis services
- Outpatient care services
- Car parking and improved public transport links
- A rooftop helipad
The new hospital is part of the more than $780 million New Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services Project, jointly funded by the NSW and Commonwealth governments.
Construction is progressing well with the main building structure now well advanced and the multi-storey car park underway. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.
At the same time as caring for patients every day, the health system is undergoing one of the largest hospital building programs in its history, with more than $12 billion being invested to rebuild and expand hospitals across NSW.
Labor is making the long-term investments into recruiting more staff and building more hospitals to better meet the growing health needs of our community and relieve pressure on our health system.
For more information about the project and to view the fly-through animation, visit nsw.gov.au/shellharbour-hospital
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:
"This exciting new fly-through gives the community a clear picture of the modern, fit-for-purpose, light-filled spaces being delivered as part of the New Shellharbour Hospital.
"Labor is delivering on the responsible long-term reforms to rebuild a health system for the future, and these new facilities will provide high-quality and supportive care for patients and their families as well as modern fit for purpose work environment of our staff.
"The Coalition failed to build enough beds and hospitals - but we're getting on with delivering what they couldn't, working closely with clinicians, staff, and locals to shape the new designs.
"The new hospital forms part of more than $1 billion in health infrastructure investments across the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region, spanning Shoalhaven, Shellharbour, Wollongong and Milton Ulladulla, and helping to provide enhanced healthcare, closer to home."
Quotes attributable to the Member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson:
"It's fantastic to see construction progressing so well on this important project for our community, which will deliver modern, purpose-built health facilities to support the health needs of local families for generations to come."
Quotes attributable to the Member for Kiama, Katelin McInerney:
"With expanded services and a larger workforce, the new Shellharbour Hospital will ensure our region has the modern health infrastructure to meet the needs of our growing community and our ageing population and it's wonderful to see these purpose-built spaces taking shape."
