Wait continues for Rouse Hill Hospital emergency department details

Details about an emergency department for a northwest Sydney hospital have failed to emerge, prompting community doubts that the promise was just a “quick fix” to “placate” them.

After a community campaign, the State Government promised to build an emergency department for the $300 million Rouse Hill Hospital on April 6 but more than two months after the pledge, questions about the facility remain unanswered.

Greenway federal Labor MP Michelle Rowland, who initiated a petition with more than 2000 signatures requesting the facility, wrote to Health Minister Brad Hazzard on April 13 “significantly concerned” over the lack of details about the announcement.

She sought to know the emergency department’s capacity, how many staff would be expected to operate it and information about its expected functions and capabilities.

However, no response has been sent.

“Our campaign forced the NSW Liberals to change course and agree to an emergency department,’’ Ms Rowland said.

“But now, they’ve vanished when it comes to explaining the details of what will be delivered at Rouse Hill Hospital.

Plans for Rouse Hill Hospital were initially devoid of an emergency department.

“The people of western Sydney are fed up with this long standing tradition of neglect and tricky Liberal games.’’

Riverstone couple Roy and Liz Padlan, whose signatures were part of the petition, want to have an emergency department closer to their home to avoid the longer commute to Blacktown or Westmead hospitals.

Mrs Padlan said her 50-year-old husband suffered two heart attacks and underwent a triple bypass in 2020.

The first attack in 2006 saw her arrive from Quakers Hill to Westmead Hospital quicker than the ambulance.

“It would give us much more peace of mind knowing there is something close by and not the major hospital in western Sydney, which is Westmead Hospital,’’ she said.

Liz and Roy Padlan with their daughters Allegra and Tatiana. The Riverstone family supports an emergency department at Rouse Hill Hospital.

She has joined a growing chorus of frustrated residents in Sydney’s booming northwest doubtful about the project rollout.

“It’s almost like they did it to placate us because of our petition and when it comes down to the crunch of what you’re going to do, they’re skirting the issue,’’ Mrs Padlan said.

“It was almost like a quick fix to us petitioning.’’

She called for the hospital to be built properly “from the start”.

The contentious project has been a source of controversy since it was promised in 2017. Initially, the government only intended it to have ambulatory care and diagnostic services while emergency care would be outsourced to Blacktown and Westmead hospitals.

“In my view, this approach was flawed from the beginning, unsustainable and would have experienced severe problems given the significant population growth in the northwest,’’ Ms Rowland said.

Construction of Rouse Hill Hospital, at Windsor Rd, is expected to begin in March 2023.

A Health Infrastructure spokesman said Western Sydney Local Health District was still finalising the hospital’s services.

“The Clinical Services Plan is informed by local population demographics and projections, current and future health needs, as well as health staff and community feedback,’’ he said.

“Master planning of the new hospital campus is also well under way to confirm the campus access points, the hospital building’s location onsite, and future expansion zones.’’

“When the master plan and Clinical Services Plan are finalised the project can confirm the clinical scope of the new Rouse Hill Hospital.’’

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