Penrith and Blue Mountains communities will soon benefit from a new intensive care unit, additional inpatient units, renal services and more, with construction now underway on the second state-of-the-art clinical services building at Nepean Hospital.
Premier Dominic Perrottet, Health Minister Brad Hazzard, Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres and Member for Mulgoa Tanya Davies have turned the sod on the site of the new building being delivered as part of Stage 2 of the NSW Government's $1 billion Nepean Hospital Redevelopment.
"Thousands of people in Penrith and the Blue Mountains are already reaping the benefits of the newly-opened 14-storey hospital tower at Nepean Hospital, which now boasts one of the best emergency departments in the State," Mr Perrottet said.
"This sod turn marks the start of major construction of a second clinical services building, which will take Nepean Hospital to the next level, ensuring it will continue to deliver the very best healthcare for growing Western Sydney communities."
The new building, which will be connected to the 14-storey tower built under Stage 1, will provide a new adult intensive care unit, more in-patient units, renal services, medical imaging and nuclear medicine services, education and training facilities and an accessible and welcoming front-of-house for patients, visitors and staff.
"Nepean Hospital is undergoing a tremendous transformation thanks to this $1 billion record investment from the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government that will ensure Western Sydney communities are provided with world-class health services well into the future," Mr Hazzard said.
"By 2031, more than 468,800 people are expected to call the Nepean Blue Mountains Health District home - up 21 per cent on the population in 2016 and we have planned ahead to meet their healthcare needs."
Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres acknowledged the health staff who had been key to delivering a first-class hospital redevelopment for Western Sydney communities.
"Our fantastic staff at Nepean Hospital have been instrumental in the design of our new facilities, including the second clinical services building that has now started construction, to ensure they can continue to deliver the very best healthcare to their patients," Mr Ayres said.
"The successful recent opening of the new emergency department is a great example of everyone's commitment and passion. I am extremely grateful to the hospital staff and everyone working on the redevelopment who have helped get us to this exciting milestone."
Member for Mulgoa, Tanya Davies said the ongoing construction at Nepean Hospital was a great boost for the local economy.
"The Nepean Redevelopment is creating more job opportunities and ensuring better health outcomes for local people," Ms Davies said.
"More than 3,700 contractors and subcontractors worked on Stage 1 of the Nepean Redevelopment during its construction phase, with 73 per cent of the workforce from Western Sydney."
CPB Constructions has been awarded the tender to build the second clinical services building. Stage 2 of the redevelopment also includes an expansion of community-based healthcare in the Penrith area. Construction of this community service will begin once the design process has been finalised with hospital staff.
A new Pathology Unit is also being constructed at Nepean Hospital as part of Stage 2, and clinical areas are being repurposed to better co-locate services and improve patient access.
The NSW Government is investing a record $11.9 billion in health infrastructure over four years to 2025-26. Since 2011, the NSW Government has delivered more than 180 health capital projects across NSW, with more than 130 projects currently underway.
In Western Sydney and South Western Sydney, the NSW Government has delivered, or is delivering, around 40 health capital projects, with a total investment of just on $8 billion.
For more information about the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment visit: Nepean redevelopment.
