Taree: Manning Base Hospital imaging department open, stage one complete
A major milestone in the redevelopment of Taree’s Manning Base Hospital has been reached with the opening of its new imaging centre. It is the final project in the hospital’s $40 million stage one redevelopment. More than $100 million has been allocated to stage two. GET A SNEAK PEEK AT THE UPGRADES HERE.
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A brand new medical imaging department has opened at Manning Base Hospital marking the completion of the $40 million stage one redevelopment.
The project, which concludes three years of planning and construction on stage one, features a new CT and bone density scanner. It builds on the huge suite of medical enhancements already delivered.
“These new facilities ensure patients have access to fast, high-quality diagnostic imaging close to home,” Myall Lakes MP Stephen Bromhead said.
“With this department now fully operational, stage one of the Manning Base Hospital upgrade is complete both in construction and functionality.”
The Medical Imaging Department on level two comes complete with a new MRI and a new hospital-owned CT scanner to replace the privately-owned machine. The existing imaging equipment was also moved into the new facility including dental x-ray, bone mineral density scanner, ultrasound and fluoroscopy equipment.
The new MRI scanner is fully licensed by the Federal Government, meaning there will be no out-of-pocket fee for all Medicare eligible examinations.
It is the final project of the $40 million stage one upgrades, which also delivered enhanced cancer care and renal dialysis services, consultation rooms for visiting specialists and a new patient and staff carpark.
The relocation and expansion of the imaging department has left vacant space within the hospital building and Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) is now carefully considering options for its future use.
A draft clinical services plan for the $100 million Stage two upgrade of Manning Base Hospital has now been submitted to NSW Health for feedback. The draft clinical services plan is the first step in the planning process for stage two.
The plan also includes a major proposal for a new hospital at Forster-Tuncurry.
There will be a number of considerations for the Forster-Tuncurry Hospital, such as:
- How the services operate by themselves, alongside surrounding services and what are the functional and design requirements.
- Population shifts and changing age profile.
- What services need to be included and where e.g. electricity, water and telecommunications.
Both the Manning Base and Forster-Tuncurry projects form part of the NSW Governments commitment to delivering $10.1 billion in health infrastructure over the next four years.
Mr Bromhead said: “I look forward to working with Hunter New England Health and Health Infrastructure on the projects and will keep the community updated as we progress through the process.
“As an ex nurse fighting to better our health care has always been a top priority and I’m proud to see the progress we’re making in Myall Lakes,” Mr Bromhead said.
MANNING BASE HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT
In 2018, The NSW Government committed $20 million to stage one of the Manning Hospital Redevelopment, which delivered a new, purpose-built facility, including:
- The Nita Reed Dialysis Unit, a purpose-built eight chair renal dialysis unit including one isolation room and two training chairs to allow staff to train patients to transition to home dialysis.
- Cancer Care Services, an eight chair chemotherapy unit, including one isolation room and a procedure room. The new facility also provides a staff room and kitchen, visitor beverage bay and televisions in each treatment bay.
- Consultation spaces, six shared consultation spaces for visiting specialists.
- A new car park for renal dialysis and chemotherapy patients.
A further $20 million in NSW Government funding was allocated to the project. This funding delivered:
- Refurbishment of the main hospital entrance on York Street.
- Six new consult rooms, including a dedicated plaster room.
- A new, expanded Medical Imaging Department on Level 2 of the hospital, complete with new MRI and a new hospital-owned CT scanner to replace the privately-owned machine. The existing imaging equipment was also moved into the new facility including dental x-ray, bone mineral density scanner, ultrasound and fluoroscopy equipment.
- The new MRI scanner is fully licensed by the Federal Government, meaning there will be no out-of-pocket fee for all Medicare eligible examinations.