Tweed Hospital to undergo redevelopment to handle patient demand

AS the NSW Government and community argue over where a new hospital should be built, the old hospital site will receive a facelift to handle growing pains.

Tweed Heads Hospital.

AS the old Tweed Hospital grows close to bursting at the seams, services will be boosted by planned interim measures to handle patient demand as the NSW Government and community argue over where a new hospital should be built.

The current hospital has undergone redevelopment works to ensure it services the rapidly growing region before a transition to a new $534 million facility the Government has planned for completion in 2023.

The most recent Bureau of Health Information report shows that for the October to December 2017 quarter, the Tweed Hospital had an extra 486 more patient presentations, compared to the previous year.

Demountables have been built to help with increasing demand at the Tweed Hospital. Photo: Supplied.

The extra patient numbers are expected to rise with the growing — and older — Tweed Hospital catchment population projected to hit 209,316 by 2021.

With a second round of public consultation for the new hospital sparked by protests over the farmland site proposed near Kingscliff, interim work on the old hospital is underway.

Measures include a temporary facility for inpatients, housing an extra 12 beds that are expected to be available next month.

Health sources said a temporary “pop-up measure’’ included two additional operating theatres, two additional intensive care unit beds, an expansion of cancer care chairs and consulting rooms, and a second CT scanner to come online in 2019.

State Tweed MP Geoff Provest said a new hospital built on time was “absolutely necessary’’, given the expected population growth.

FLOODING CONCERN FOR PROPOSED HOSPITAL LOCATION

Proposed sight of the new Tweed Hospital.

“The usage of our current hospital is increasing exponentially, especially when you take into account the number of residential blocks currently up for approval,” Mr Provest said.

“Delaying it six weeks or even a month isn’t going to impact significantly but we can’t wait longer.”

Mr Provest said the proposed pop-up theatres for the old hospital were similar to temporary blood bank facilities.

“It is 21st century medicine, which should always be a priority,” Mr Provest said.

“They (the additional theatres) are like the semi-trailers with the blood bank on them, and take three days to connect.

“According to the surgeons they are more modern than what is on offer.”

Tweed Heads Hospital.

Mr Provest said he respected the concerns expressed by local residents about the new hospital site opposite the Kingscliff TAFE.

“I respect that, but there can’t be a major delay on the future build,” he said.

“Health needs to be a priority and we don’t have the luxury of waiting.”

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones said clinicians and staff at the Tweed Hospital were working hard to deliver services as patient numbers rose.

“It’s not easy working in such a busy environment, especially one that is undergoing construction work at the same time,” Mr Jones said.

“The increase in patient numbers does place added strain on our dedicated staff in medical,

nursing and other staff groups across the hospital, and their efforts to maintain a high standard of performance are second to none.”

The Tweed Hospital Emergency department.

Pamela Barrett, of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Tweed Hospital branch, said delays to the new hospital were far from acceptable.

“The current hospital no longer meets the demands of the public. We desperately need a new hospital but are mindful of the environmental impact at the current proposed site,’’ she said.

“There are other locations in the Tweed area that could be considered. The right thing must be done by the community to ensure we can continue to provide quality health services.”