South-Western Sydney Gets $790 Million Health Boost

South-Western Sydney Gets $790 Million Health Boost
A general view of Liverpool Hospital as seen in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 10, 2020. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
Steve Milne
3/17/2022
Updated:
3/17/2022

Construction is underway on a new six-storey hospital tower as part of the $790 million (US$578 million) Liverpool Health and Academic Precinct, which will bring improved health services to south-western Sydney.

In a release on Thursday, New South Wales (NSW) Premier Dominic Perrottet said the new hospital will offer enhanced facilities, including an integrated cancer centre, a larger emergency department than the current one at Liverpool Hospital, an intensive care unit, and more operating theatres.

“The $790 million health and academic precinct the NSW Government is building here at Liverpool is one of the largest hospital redevelopments across the state—and will transform healthcare services in this rapidly growing part of Sydney,” he said.

“We have the best health system in the nation and we are ensuring that no matter where you live in our State you have access to the best healthcare facilities.”

Neonatal facilities will also get a boost, with a larger neonatal intensive care unit and six new in-patient units, including paediatric, maternity, and women’s health services.

These are all designed to allow for the area’s growing population, as is the new multi-storey car park, which is nearing completion and will provide 500 additional spaces to the precinct.

Minister for Health Brad Hazzard, and Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons, wielded the first shovels at the new hospital site on Thursday, the former saying that the new precinct in the heart of Liverpool would be a drawcard for clinicians, specialists, researchers, and educators locally and worldwide.

“The NSW Government is investing an unprecedented $790 million into south-western Sydney to meet the community’s healthcare needs and also provide employment opportunities for our future generations of nurses, doctors, researchers, and educators,” he said.

Next to the hospital site, project builder Lendlease has opened a new skilling and employment hub designed to create more education and employment opportunities for south-western Sydney residents.

Skills and Training Minister Alister Henskens said the hub will deliver construction pre-employment programs, as well as Aboriginal employment initiatives, enabling people of all ages to upskill for construction and health-related roles.

According to Gibbons the redevelopment will support around 850 construction jobs, with the potential for thousands more jobs over the life of the project, and “the on-site skills and employment hub will help attract, retain and upskill local workers in yet another fantastic win for our community.”

Along with the new hospital building and car park, the precinct will consist of some existing hospital buildings, a number of refurbished buildings, while some older buildings will be demolished.

The Liverpool Hospital redevelopment, expected to be completed by 2026, is one of 110 hospital and health facility projects currently underway across NSW as part of the State Government’s record $10.8 billion investment in health infrastructure between 2020 and 2025.

Steve is an Australian reporter based in Sydney covering sport, the arts, and politics. He is an experienced English teacher, qualified nutritionist, sports enthusiast, and amateur musician. Contact him at [email protected].
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