New Tweed Valley Hospital at Cudgen, near Kingscliff CBD, opens to public Tuesday morning
The “biggest hospital move in regional NSW history” was quite the undertaking, but all appears well as patients and staff settle into the imposing new Tweed Valley Hospital.
Regional News
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The “biggest hospital move in regional NSW history” has resulted in more than 120 patients being transferred to the new Tweed Valley Hospital by paramedics and private operators.
Northern NSW Local Health District has reported the move from the dated Tweed Hospital on Powell and Florence streets to the imposing $723.3 facility at 771 Cudgen Rd, Cudgen, near Kingscliff CBD, was a roaring success.
On Tuesday, the hospital had treated more than 70 patients at the new emergency department.
The first person admitted was 75-year-old coronary care unit patient Wayne Ambrose from Kingscliff.
Mr Ambrose was greeted by the hospital’s acting general manager Adam Reid and presented with a welcome gift.
The last patient to leave the old hospital, built in 1972, was Tweed Heads resident Doreen Cording.
She was transferred from the emergency department at 2.27pm and arrived at the new hospital at 2.43pm.
All patients have been moved and the health district thanked key partners for the help carrying out the “significant” task: NSW Ambulance, NSW Police and Transport for NSW.
The public has been reminded the old hospital is shut and no new patients will be allowed.
Anyone who needs emergency care must head to the new facility.
Patients were transferred from units including medical 1, coronary care, intensive care, the special care nursery, women’s care and the mental health inpatient ward.
The operating theatres at Tweed Valley Hospital have opened and the first procedures were carried out on Tuesday, after the doors swung open at 8am.
The health district said renal patients were already receiving vital treatment.
Murwillumbah District Hospital and or Byron Central Hospital are also available for emergencies.
The health district states a range of community and outreach health services will continue to be delivered at the existing Tweed Hospital site after the hospital move.
The Tweed Heads Community Health Centre (THCHC) will be established and provide services such as wound clinics, women’s health services and stomal therapy and child and family services. Other services include needle and syringe Program counselling, alcohol and other drug counselling and some antenatal services.
More community services may also be offered from the site in the future, according to the health district.
For the time being, services will be provided from the exiting Community Health building level 2 administration block, accessed from Florence St.
BreastScreen NSW services will continue to be delivered at Powell St.
The phone number for the new Tweed Valley Hospital is 02 6677 2000.
New Tweed hospital set to open doors after historic move
Monday: The new $723.3 million Tweed Valley Hospital at Cudgen in the Tweed will open its doors on Tuesday after about six years in the making.
Protests raged for years over the hospital being built on what was state significant farmland – including rallies sensationally attended by then-Tweed Shire Council mayor Katie Milne.
But the hospital was ticked off by the state, like it or not, and has risen a stone’s throw from Kingscliff CBD.
Recently, it was revealed the hospital was tackling mould issues even before its hotly-anticipated opening.
Staffing was also a concern earlier in the year – in February, Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) announced more than 190 new graduates in the region, with 80 signed up for the new hospital. But dozens of vacancies remained unfilled for nurses, pharmacists, security, managers, technicians, and support roles.
It was expected the vacancies would not be long-lasting, but NSW competes for skilled workers with Queensland. The border is only about 13km north.
During construction, the health district said about 20 per cent of patients using the old Tweed Hospital, and almost 40 per cent of workers, lived in Queensland.
Celebrating the opening, the health district’s director clinical operations Lynne Weir said the Tweed transition was the culmination of more than a year of logistical planning.
“This is a momentous milestone for everyone involved in the project, and of course for our patients, staff and the wider community,” she said.
“The level of collaboration, expertise and engagement which has brought us to this point is simply outstanding.
“It’s the biggest hospital move in regional NSW history, and we are looking forward to a bright future delivering the excellent healthcare we’re known for, in our brand new health facility.”
The new hospital will open at 8am on Tuesday, while the old Tweed Hospital on Powell St at Tweed Heads will close at the same time.
All hospital services, including the emergency department, will transfer to the new hospital at 771 Cudgen Rd on the day.
Patients in care at the Tweed Heads hospital will be transferred over a full day, the district states.
The district will be “working with hospital clinicians and staff, as well as key partners, including NSW Ambulance and NSW Police, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all
patients before, during and after the transfer”.
Community health services being delivered at The Tweed Hospital site will also be
temporarily closed as part of the transition. They will be closed Tuesday through to Thursday.
Temporary visitor restrictions will be in place at both the old Tweed Hospital and new Tweed Valley Hospital throughout Tuesday to allow staff to focus on patient safety and wellbeing.
“After 8am on Tuesday, May 14, residents who require urgent medical treatment should continue to present to their nearest emergency department, including Murwillumbah District Hospital or Byron Central Hospital, as well as the new Emergency Department at the new Tweed Valley Hospital in Cudgen,” the district advised.
On Friday, Bundjalung elder Uncle Franc Krasna held an Indigenous smoking ceremony.
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