Gosford Hospital redevelopment takes shape

SCAFFOLDING is coming down and the Gosford Hospital redevelopment begins to take shape.

Redevelopment of Gosford Hospital from Cape St North. Picture: Sue Graham

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SCAFFOLDING is coming down and the Gosford Hospital redevelopment begins to take shape.

This time next year, patients should be using the $348 million facility.

The Express Advocate was given a sneak preview of the development this week, following the dismantling of the last crane tower last month.

Rooms are taking shape and equipment is being set up on lower levels of the 11-storey main tower. The final slab has also been poured on the link to the helipad on top of level 10.

One of the emergency bays in the ED

One of the new birthing suites

Central Coast Local Health District chief executive Andrew Montague said the hospital build was on schedule with completion of the tower in March 2018, and an opening slated in May 2018.

“It’s all going really well, we haven’t had any hold ups,” he said.

“The finishing touches are now being applied inside the new tower and we are heading towards handover of the building and preparing the facility for our staff to move in and get ready for our first patients.”

Walking through the new building, there are spacious corridors, a colour coded nurse call system, separate public and staff lifts as well as switchable glass dividers that transfer from opaque to transparent, instead of the old-fashioned curtains.

Construction is underway for the expanded ambulance bay.

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) will have the largest windows of any new hospital built in NSW and also a veranda with medical equipment allowing patients to spend time outside.

“Patients in ICU can be there for a long time so we want to be able to bring them outside into daylight,” Dr Montague said.

“We will have the ability to have two patients outside at once.”

There will be five brand new operating theatres taking the total to 12 at the hospital.

Construction has also started on the $35.5 million multistorey carpark in Holden Street.

“The new multistorey car park is set to double our existing parking capacity with 800 additional spaces,” Dr Montague said.

View of the new helipad

Central Coast Local Health District CEO Andrew Montague. Picture by Mark Scott

“It is expected construction of the car park will be completed by late 2018.”

Work to expand the operating theatres is being carried out above the old main entry

so access to the hospital and Emergency Department is now via one single (temporary) entry

point.

“Signs are in place to help guide patients and visitors and a security officer is also on-hand

from 7am to 7.30pm each day to help people in the drop off/pick up zone,” Dr Montague said.

“We appreciate the community’s understanding and patience as we carry out this important

work to transform our hospital.”

The entire redevelopment is expected to be completed by late 2019.