Plans revealed for world-class medical research centre at Campbelltown Hospital

Plans for a $47.5 million world-class medical research centre attached to Campbelltown Hospital have been revealed to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding community.

Concept design plans have been revealed for a world-class medical research centre being built to meed the needs of the rapidly expanding Macarthur community.

The massive $47.5 million cash injection received by Western Sydney University is being used to build the Lang Walker AO Medical Research Building located as part of Campbelltown Hospital.

The facility will be home to the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research at Macarthur, a research partnership expanding more than a decade between Western Sydney University, South Western Sydney Local Health District and UNSW Sydney.

The building is due to open in 2023, with the facility enabling local researchers to address the region’s unique health challenges and improve health outcomes for the people of southwest Sydney.

Lang Walker AO Medical Research Building located in Campbelltown Hospital will be ready by 2023.

The facility will bring together world-leading researchers and clinicians and promote scientific, clinical and industry collaboration that can deliver cutting-edge diagnostics and innovative healthcare programs, treatments, and therapies, and strengthen patient care.

While the research will have a focus on health challenges such as mental illness, diabetes, healthcare of Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse communities, paediatrics and addiction medicine.

Early intervention, prevention and community-based care will also be available at the centre, in the hopes of tackling south west Sydney’s higher rates of chronic illness and disease that often require more complex health care and increased demand for support services.

A state significant development application has been lodged with the Department of Planning Infrastructure and Environment.

Walker Corporation chairman Lang Walker. Picture:Justin Lloyd

Western Sydney University’s vice-chancellor and president, Professor Barney Glover, said the building would be focused on the health and wellbeing needs of the fast-growing region.

“Working together with our alliance partners, Western Sydney University is pleased to deliver on this ambitious, world-class medical education and research facility that will be a cornerstone of the multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the hospital and the broader Campbelltown Health and Education precinct,” Professor Glover said.

“The building will enable world-leading excellence in clinical expertise, research and innovation that will be translated into cutting-edge treatments and healthcare for the people of the Macarthur region and beyond.

“It will be a place to grow the health and medical workforce of the future – having a real and lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of our local communities.”

Walker Corporation Executive Chairman Lang Walker said he was proud the Walker Group was donating more than $20 million for the building to advance medical research in the Macarthur region.

“Together we will deliver on our ambitious vision of a dynamic hub for medical education and research to transform Campbelltown Hospital into an internationally recognised research precinct to foster greater scientific, clinical and industry collaborations,” Mr Walker said.

“This is such an exciting opportunity for western Sydney because we are going to have a research building for highly skilled clinicians and researchers who can quickly take a health issue from the bed to the laboratory and back to the bed again, to find fast solutions.

“Working in partnership with our research partners and Western Sydney University we are going to totally transform the way we process information to help people and their families in southwest Sydney.”

The centre will be an addition to Campbelltown Hospital. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Chief executive of the South Western Sydney Local Health District, Amanda Larkin, said the building would be a “centrepiece” for innovation and research.

Ms Larkin said the global research initiatives would improve local services for the Macarthur region.

Chairman at Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research Terry Goldacre said the institute was proud to be involved in the “important next chapter” for Macarthur.

“We will continue to connect our clinicians and researchers with local and global industry to accelerate cutting edge health solutions supported by our world-class clinical trials capabilities,” he said.

Lead architect and BVN Principal Bill Dowzer said the design of the building was “for the people” and is aiming to create a workplace designed to make people feel “connected, comfortable and inspired”.