Where the NSW government will roll out mini-metro hospitals across Sydney

The NSW government will create miniature hospitals in growing communities across Sydney as a way to combat rising demand in health services as the population grows. SEE WHERE THEY WILL BE BUILT.

Ambulatory services would be diverted away from hospitals under the plans: Jonathan Ng

A health clinic which would provide services such as chemotherapy and renal dialysis near the Western Sydney Aerotropolis is at least a decade off being built.

Doctors are calling for the NSW government to fast-track the planned hub and others earmarked for Sydney’s southwest suburbs where health services are at risk of being inundated by a rapidly increasing population.

Macarthur federal Labor MP Dr Mike Freelander has hit out over a lack of funding for health services in southwest Sydney. Picture: Richard Dobson

THE GREAT DIVIDE — SYDNEY’S HEALTH CRISIS

Part One: south west patients funded $800 less per person than Sydney residents

Part Two: south west patients forced to travel hours for treatment

Part Three: leaders are calling for a new hospital at Aerotropolis

Part Four: 24,000 new medical students needed to fight west’s growth

Part Five: Patients waiting 300 days for surgery in south west Sydney

Part Six: south west teens shock youth suicide numbers as specialist staff numbers revealed

Part Seven: Claims health department removed beds from state’s busiest EDs

NSW Health plans show an increasing number of patients will be diverted away from overcrowded hospitals to local health service centres, according to its submission to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into health provisions in southwest Sydney.

However, the department revealed the hub earmarked for the aerotropolis would not be open until at least 2030.

An integrated health hub would be built at the Aerotropolis. Supplied video.

Macarthur federal Labor MP and Campbelltown-based clinician Dr Mike Freelander said community health centres “could be a way to reduce hospital presentation pressure”.

“The NSW government has been planning the introduction of community health hubs being established in growth precincts for quite some time,” he said. “They could be a good idea, but only if they are properly resourced.”

A NSW Health spokeswoman said the community health hubs would provide care close to transport.

“Hospital-based care would remain at the nearby acute facilities (at) Liverpool and Campbelltown, which are undergoing significant redevelopments to expand and develop services,” she said.

Acute services would remain at hospitals. Picture: Richard Dobson

The NSW Health representative said the department hoped to establish the Heath hub at a central setting, close to public transport routes, parking and other community amenities such as the Multi University Campus at the Aerotropolis core – with services determined by the “needs and size of the population”.

She said several clinical services could also be removed from hospital sites and rolled out in community facilities.

However, based on current department of Health population projections the Aerotropolis health hub would not be required until 2030.

NSW Health emergency modelling suggests a massive increase in demand, with as many as 90,000 incident call outs each year predicted for southwest Sydney by 2031.

A series of mini-hospitals wold be built in major growth areas surrounding the Western Sydney Airport. Supplied video.