Push to relocate Bankstown Lidcombe Hospital to new WSU site
A PUSH to relocate Bankstown Lidcombe Hospital to Western Sydney University’s new 16-storey campus has been dubbed a “fantastic” idea that will not only transform the heart of the Bankstown CBD but provide locals with a state-of-the-art health facility.
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A WESTERN Sydney public hospital would be moved three kilometres to a new site under a radical plan to create a super health and education hub.
Western Sydney University (WSU) is opening a 16-storey campus in Bankstown CBD in 2021 and now a push is on to relocate Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital there to meet the demands of a booming population.
The state-of-the-art hospital would be embedded with WSU and TAFE and Canterbury Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour said the “fantastic” idea would transform the heart of Bankstown.
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“The current hospital has served our community well but there’s no room for that hospital to grow and it’s at capacity at the moment,” Mr Asfour told The Sunday Telegraph.
“I’d rather see it happen sooner rather than later because we are seen as a health and education precinct under the Greater Sydney Commission.”
An extra 150,000 expected to live in the area in the next 20 years.
Health precincts, linking universities and hospitals, are being created across Sydney with Liverpool Hospital recently securing $740 million in the State Budget for a health and academic hub.
WSU assistant vice-chancellor Dr Andy Marks said tertiary institutions and hospitals are “made for each other”, boosting jobs and healthcare.
“Bringing something into the CBD of the scale of a major hospital, alongside our plans to build a CBD campus at Bankstown, I think, makes a lot of sense in terms of collaboration and delivering people the best research and health practice close to where they live,” Dr Marks told The Sunday Telegraph.
Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue chairman Christopher Brown said the expense of moving Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital would be cost-effective in the long term.
“As we understand, poor old Bankstown Hospital needs some work anyway,” Mr Brown said.
“The reality is Bankstown centre has been identified as a priority urban precinct, a jobs centre and its little old hospital — way out in the suburbs — isn’t going to be fit for purpose forever.
“There’s money to be realised in the development of the existing site. it’s such a growth community, there will be plenty of money there,” Mr Brown said.
He said the new Sydney Metro station, due to open in 2024 — another reason why the State Government must move the hospital.
Dr Marks said the relocation was “the better option economically and health-wise”.
“Western Sydney is where all of this pressure on the health system is at its most intensive and that’s why we need to do everything we can to make sure we’re prepared and universities and hospitals are the best way to prepare and having them situated side-by-side is the way to do that,” he said.
In a statement, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital general manager Peter Rophail said the government was investing $25 million to redevelop the emergency department.
“Clinical service planning for the hospital is also under way to ensure the hospital can meet the community’s future health needs,” he said.
But Cr Asfour said the extra funding was a “Band-Aid solution” and new site for the hospital must be identified now.