Rouse Hill Hospital to get birthing services when it opens

Health Minister Ryan Park has backflipped, pledging to build birthing services at Western Sydney’s first new major adult hospital in decades. The announcement of full maternity services is a win for the Tele’s readers.

Minister for Health Ryan Park and NSW Premier Chris Minns unveil the new designs for Rouse Hill Hospital in Sydney. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Expectant mothers in Sydney’s booming north west will be able to give birth closer to home, with the Minns government to build a full birthing suite at the new Rouse Hill Hospital.

The $90 million investment comes after The Daily Telegraph revealed last year that women in some of the fastest growing areas of Sydney would be forced to drive up to an hour to give birth at Westmead or Blacktown.

In a Tele win, Health Minister Ryan Park has finally announced that the new hospital will have full maternity services.

The Minns government has now pledged to spend $910 million on Rouse Hill Hospital, which will be the first new major adult hospital in Western Sydney when it is built.

The scope for the new hospital is still being determined, but it is expected to also include an emergency department, inpatient beds, short-stay medical assessment services, pathology, pharmacy, and medical imaging services.

Artist impresion, first look at the $700 million Rouse Hill Hospital, the first major adult hospital built in Western Sydney in over 40 years.

There is still no firm timeline on when it will be completed.

The Telegraph revealed earlier this year that the government is still haggling over how much it will pay to acquire land for the hospital.

“After a decade of false starts by the Liberals, the Minns Labor Government is actually getting on with the job of delivering a new hospital for Rouse Hill,” Mr Park said.

The Albanese government committed extra cash for Rouse Hill Hospital during the election campaign. Picture: Damian Shaw

The decision to leave out birthing suites from the new hospital had put the state government at odds with the federal local member.

Federal Greenway MP Michelle Rowland had been campaigning for the new hospital to have full birthing services.

Mr Park said the Minns government was working to provide “a comprehensive range of much needed health services, closer to home, for a growing community”.

The former Coalition government went to multiple elections pledging to build a new hospital at Rouse Hill, but never came good on the promise.

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Originally published as Rouse Hill Hospital to get birthing services when it opens