Liverpool Innovation Precinct: first images of health and education hub
THE proposed multimillion-dollar upgrade of Liverpool Hospital will make it a “magnet for investment”, says one of the project’s leading advocates. Take your first look here.
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THE proposed multimillion-dollar upgrade of Liverpool Hospital will make it a “magnet for investment”, says one of the project’s leading advocates.
Sydney Business Chamber’s western Sydney director David Borger said masterplanning had begun on the Liverpool Innovation Precinct after the NSW Government committed $740 million to the ambitious plans in the State Budget.
Mr Borger said the precinct would establish Liverpool as a “health city” with a hospital at the heart of the CBD.
South Western Sydney Local Health District’s research director and professor of surgery at Western Sydney University Les Bokey said the project will see “significant parts” of the hospital upgraded including women’s health units, the emergency department and the paediatrics unit.
It will also add a private hospital, a centre of excellence for cancer and an advanced manufacturing, automation and logistics hub.
As reported in the Daily Telegraph, St Vincent’s Hospital is already planning for a private hospital within the health hub.
“In the past people used to build hospitals but we are building a precinct,” Prof Bokey said.
He said it was important to “embed clinicians and researchers” in the same space.
“Good research always happens when there is a relevant clinical question,” he said.
“Clinical questions are derived by community values — that’s the first step. We value first and foremost what our community values.”
SWSLHD is the largest and fastest growing local health district in Australia with a large proportion of migrants and refugees, creating “a wonderful melting pot to study various modalities of treatment”, Prof Bokey said.
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He said the hub would be different to other health and education precincts in the world “because we see things from a different lens”.
“We’re quite brave in what we do. We’re quite happy to innovate. This is an innovation precinct — we’re not tied to old ideas.”
The project is expected to be complete by 2026.
Mr Borger said while eight years was a long time and he would welcome the project being brought forward, the project now has a firm commitment from the government.
“A week ago it wasn’t on a list and now it’s on the forward estimates,” he said.
Mr Borger said the redevelopment would also address parking issues and make it easier for patients to navigate through the hospital.
“This is going to be looking at the entire precinct and how people get to the hospital and leave the hospital.”
The project is being led by a committee that includes Liverpool Council, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney Business Chamber, Liverpool Hospital, South West Sydney Primary Health Network, Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, NSW Health Infrastructure, TAFE NSW, University of Wollongong, University of New South Wales and Western Sydney University.