Tuggerah Lakes Private Hospital officially opens in Kanwal
Check out the Central Coast’s newest private hospital, already relieving demand and attracting specialists and surgeons.
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Kanwal’s new private hospital is up and running, and is already providing much needed services to the northern end of the Central Coast.
Tuggerah Lakes Private Hospital was officially opened this week, a $31 million facility with three operating theatres, day and inpatient beds, pathology and radiology services and an on-site cafe.
It has already attracted high quality specialists and surgeons from the coast, Sydney and Newcastle.
The local reaction has been overwhelming, and planning is underway for stage two of the hospital which will see another three operating theatres as well as more beds.
Tuggerah Lakes Private Hospital chief executive officer Laura Barnett said the hospital brought significant improvement in the availability of health care, complimenting current private surgical, medical, mental health and rehabilitation services on the coast.
“We opened in May and have had 383 surgical cases, with the 500th expected next week,” she said.
“Positions have been created for over 50 staff and recruitment is ongoing. The construction project undertaken over the last 18 months has involved a multitude of local suppliers, community leaders, school children and doctors.”
She said the hospital, located directly opposite Wyong Public Hospital, was designed with a hotel style feel in mind, and has huge windows allowing a lot of natural light inside.
It has already partnered up with the public hospital, providing much needed relief and reducing public waiting lists for paediatric dentistry and orthopaedic trauma.
Tuggerah Lakes Private Hospital was the vision of Healthe Care regional manager Matt Kelly, who prepared a business case for the hospital in October 2016 after hearing from local residents and doctors. It is Healthe Care’s 34th hospital.
“Healthe Care took a gamble on that business case and by November 2017 we were turning the first sod and here we are at the opening,” he said.
“Our vision has been realised, this hospital is fantastic.”
The hospital’s perioperative manager Nicole Field said the feedback from local patients had been overwhelmingly positive.
“It’s been a really great journey, we started operating seven weeks ago and have been getting great feedback,” she said.
“Locals have been watching it to grow, the northern part of the coast has just exploded. People who live up north don't have to travel so far now.”
Wyong state Labor MP David Harris said with a growing population, Wyong was desperately in need of the hospital.
“This investment shows confidence in our area and I am pleased to see jobs created. This will compliment the $200 million hospital across the road.”
The hospital caters for specialties including orthopaedics, ear, nose and throat, gastroenterology, general surgery, colorectal, gynaecology, urology, plastic surgery, vascular surgery and dental.
The property is owned by Australian Unity, the construction was by local developers, Red Eye Construction.
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