A new $534 million Tweed Hospital has gotten the green light

THE NSW Government has today announced a brand new Tweed Hospital will be built, in what is expected to be the biggest infrastructure project ever in the shire.

The Tweed Hospital Picture: Jerad Williams

THE NSW Government has today announced a brand new Tweed Hospital will be built, in what is expected to be the biggest infrastructure project ever in the shire.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Health Minister Brad Hazzard joined Tweed MP Geoff Provest at the existing Tweed Hospital this morning to announce the new package.

Planning for the $534 million project, which will be included in next week’s State Budget, will get underway soon but is not expected to be completed for several years.

Additional resourcing will be injected into the existing facility in the interim to provide new pop-up theatres and wards to alleviate the strain.

Today’s announcement follows years of campaigning by local medical staff, concerned the ageing infrastructure of the current facility is not capable of meeting the capacity of the growing region.

Mr Barilaro said the new hospital would greatly improve health services for the region, which is forecast to grow by more than 40% to 128,000 people by 2031.

“The Tweed Shire is the latest area to benefit from the NSW Government’s pledge to enhance regional health services as part of a record hospital-building boom,” Mr Barilaro said.

Mr Hazzard said that senior clinicians consulted during the planning process and lobbying by Mr Provest helped form the decision to build a new hospital in the area, given the constraints of the current site.

“Local member Geoff Provest has been lobbying and advocating for the Tweed community and the Tweed’s nursing and medical workforce for world-class facilities,” Mr Hazzard said.

“At Geoff’s invitation I’ve met with the Medical Staff Council at Tweed Hospital to hear exactly what they need to continue delivering excellent patient care — and this new hospital will deliver just that.”

Mr Provest said this was the biggest news in the Tweed for decades.

“This is fabulous news, it’s the biggest news in the Tweed in decades,” he said.

“It’s taken a Liberals and Nationals Government, which I am part of, to recognise the needs of the Tweed and I am so proud of what we are going to achieve here.

“A new hospital for the Tweed area means patients in our region will get a welcoming, modern facility that provides the best care for the future.”

Some highlights of the new hospital will likely include:

more overnight beds

more operating theatres

a larger emergency department

an integrated cancer care service

enhanced cardiac care services

An Expression of Interest and site selection process to identify the most suitable site for the

new hospital will commence shortly.

Over the coming months, the project team will work with staff and clinicians to understand how services will be delivered at the new hospital, to determine the project design and construction program, which should be finalised mid-next year.