Push for new Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital to be women’s hospital

An innovative idea to repurpose the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital into a women’s only facility is gaining traction, as the NSW Government remains tight-lipped on the site for the $1.3bn new hospital.

Canterbury Bankstown deputy mayor Rachelle Harika will put forward a motion to repurpose the existing Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital at Tuesday’s meeting.

An innovative idea to repurpose the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital into a women’s only facility is gaining traction as the state government remains tight-lipped on the site for the new $1.3bn hospital.

Canterbury-Bankstown deputy mayor Rachelle Harika put forward a motion in Tuesday’s council meeting for the NSW Health Minister to replicate Randwick’s Royal Hospital for Women at the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital once the new facility is built.

This comes a month after the state government announced a $1.3bn cash injection in September to build the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital on a new site.

Cr Harika said the NSW government had a “golden opportunity” to build the state’s second women’s hospital and provide state-of-the-art care dedicated to women in southwest Sydney.

“There is a great opportunity to focus on establishing a women’s hospital, specialising in breast care, gynaecology, maternity, newborn intensive care and reproductive medicine for the entire region,” she said.

Plans have been touted to repurpose the existing Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital into a women’s hospital once the new $1.3b hospital is built. Picture:Jeremy Piper

“The Randwick hospital is a far distance and we would love to see more women’s facilities readily close by, given we’re one of the largest councils.”

A Health Infrastructure spokeswoman said women’s and children’s health services would be included in the “new acute services building on the new site”.

Canterbury Bankstown deputy mayor Rachelle Harika will put forward a motion to repurpose the existing Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital at Tuesday’s meeting. Picture: Simon Bullard

“The new hospital is in the early stages of planning and indicative construction timing including a use of the existing Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital will be determined as planning progresses.”

The spokeswoman was unable to confirm the location of the $1.3bn hospital as the NSW Government is considering recommendations for the new site.

Bankstown Women’s Health Centre CEO Mariam Mourad said she “welcomed” the idea of a women’s hospital.

“Womens have their own issues and if you look at the gender inequality and sexual violence women face, to have a women's only hospital will be a huge benefit as they’ll have better access to treatment and care,” she said.

Community leaders have thrown their support behidn repurposing the Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital into a women’s hospital. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“Why do women in the eastern suburbs have a hospital but the southwest women don’t have one? We deserve our own.”

Since council’s amalgamation in 2016, Ms Mourad said the centre – which specialises in domestic violence support for women – has been inundated with women seeking assistance.

“A women’s hospital would 100 per cent take the pressure off us and we would work with the women’s hospital through outreach programs,” she said.

Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue CEO Adam Leto said it’s important the existing site continues to provide healthcare services as the community awaits the announcement for the site of the new hospital.

“The proposal for a dedicated women’s hospital is certainly worth investigation, as are the opportunities to partner with industry, tertiary and research providers to build upon the region’s health services network,” he said.

Mayor Bilal El-Hayek said the motion would be addressed during the November council meeting as Cr Harika was absent from Tuesday’s council meeting.