LOCAL LIFE
Mount Druitt Hospital upgrade
Early planning has begun on the Mount Druitt Hospital upgrade which will deliver an additional 30 hospital beds for local residents .
The $ 60 million investment to upgrade Mount Druitt Hospital forms part of a broader plan by the Minns Labor Government to rollout an additional 600 hospital beds in Western Sydney , to help meet the healthcare needs of the growing region .
The Blacktown Local Government area was forecast to grow by 9.4 per cent between 2020 and 2024 , with a total population of more than 400,000 by next year .
By 2031 Blacktown LGA will be home to an estimated 537,000 people .
Mount Druitt Hospital offers 24-hour emergency care and a district-wide role in the provision of planned surgery , including general , orthopaedics and breast surgery . It also offers paediatric and palliative care services .
The scope of the project and indicative timing of the works will be finalised during planning and design processes . Staff consultation has occurred , and broader consultation will start shortly .
The NSW Government is investing $ 3 billion for new and upgraded hospitals and health services across greater Western Sydney , one of the largest investments in Western Sydney health infrastructure in recent years , including :
- An additional $ 400 million to build the $ 700 million Rouse Hill Hospital , this will be the first new hospital for the western corridor in 40 years . The facility will include an emergency department , maternity services , ambulatory and outpatient care and medical imaging services .
- $ 550 million for Fairfield Hospital , in its first major redevelopment since it opened in 1989 . - $ 350 million for Canterbury Hospital , in its first major redevelopment since 1998 .
- $ 1.3 billion to build the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital on a new site , the first major investment since the two hospitals merged in 1997 .
Health Minister Ryan Park joined Member for Mount Druitt Edmond Atalla to visit staff at Mount Druitt Hospital today during a tour of the facility .
Minister for Health Ryan Park said , “ The Minns Labor Government is committed to providing the healthcare infrastructure to meet the growing needs of Western Sydney .
“ Boosting bed capacity and healthcare infrastructure is critical to helping ease waiting times and improving access to timely , high-quality healthcare .”
Member for Mount Druitt Edmond Atalla commented saying , “ I ’ m so proud that a Minns Labor Government is working to deliver on this commitment .
“ This is part of a wider investment to rebuild essential services , including healthcare , that communities across greater Western Sydney rely on .”
Early planning has begun on the Mount Druitt Hospital upgrade which will deliver an additional 30 hospital beds for local residents .
BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 34 // JANUARY 2024 5