Tweed Valley Hospital: Opening date announced as $723m project at Cudgen, near Kingscliff CBD, nears completion

The opening date for the $723 million Tweed Valley Hospital has been revealed after a number of delays on the mammoth project. But it’s going to be quite the task to shift operations.

The opening date for the new $723 million Tweed Valley Hospital at Cudgen has been revealed after a number of delays on the mammoth project.

Tweed’s new hospital just south of Tweed Heads will open on May 14 – and setting up in the new hospital will mark the biggest hospital move in regional NSW history, according to the local health district.

The new Tweed Valley Hospital on November 28.

Work on the main hospital, health hub and the multi-level car park is due to finish this week.

The hospital which has provided about 650 jobs during construction has controversially sprung up on 19.4 hectares of former state significant farmland near the Kingscliff CBD.

Protests raged over the hospital’s location – and even included barracking by former Tweed mayor Katie Milne.

Richmond MP Justine Elliot and Minister for Health Ryan Park at the hospital site in late July. Picture: Savannah Pocock

Some have also raised concerns about the hospital’s location considering the surrounding area is often affected by flooding during heavy rain events.

The hospital is located about 15 minutes drive from the Queensland-NSW border and is expected to service quite a few Gold Coasters, as well as Tweed residents.

The new hospital.

It was previously reported about 20 per cent of patients using and 40 per cent of staff at the current Tweed Hospital at Tweed Heads lived in Queensland. It’s expected the new hospital will experience similar demand.

The project is one of the biggest capital health investments funded by the NSW government in regional NSW history.

The hospital build well underway earlier this year.

It will include more beds, an expanded emergency department and outpatient services, better medical, surgical and mental health services, a new interventional cardiology service and a new radiotherapy service as part of integrated cancer care.

Regional Health Minister Ryan Park said the new hospital represented “a significant expansion of health services for the Tweed Valley community”.

“This new facility will mean around 5000 patients can be treated closer to home each year,” he said.

Regional Health Minister Ryan Park says the new Tweed hospital means about 5000 patients can be treated closer to home each year. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Swift

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive officer Tracey Maisey welcomed the certainty of the opening date for workers, patients and the wider community.

“The move to the Tweed Valley Hospital is the biggest whole of hospital move in regional NSW history and it is important for the safety of patients and staff that we allow appropriate time for this process to occur,” she said.

The current Tweed Hospital, Tweed Heads

“We’re excited to work together with our staff and our community to deliver a smooth transition to the new site from the moment the doors open.”

However, getting to this stage has not been all smooth sailing.

A look at the new hospital on November 28.

The hospital’s opening was delayed by the global Covid pandemic and the record 2022 northern NSW floods, among other factors.

Some concerns have also been aired there would not be enough staff to run the hospital due to competition from Queensland.

About 75 per cent of workers on the project have been Tweed and Byron locals.

While hospital services will transfer to the Cudgen hospital on May 14, BreastScreen and some community outreach services will continue to be delivered at Tweed Heads, either at or near the existing hospital site.