Construction has begun on the new $330 million level-four Eurobodalla Regional Hospital.
Described as world-class, the hospital will provide additional and expanded services compared with what is currently available at the Moruya and Batemans Bay hospitals combined, transforming the delivery of health care for communities across the NSW South Coast.
The new facility will include an emergency department with a larger capacity than the current combined emergency services of Moruya and Batemans Bay hospitals, as well as an eight-bed intensive care unit (ICU)/close observation unit (COU). It will be the Eurobodalla’s first intensive care service.
There will be increased access to chemotherapy treatments and renal dialysis, surgical and operating theatres and a day-stay surgical unit, plus expanded medical imaging, including a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) service.
The hospital will also feature ambulatory care for community outpatient services, paediatric and maternity services with a special care nursery, and mental health beds for short-term admissions. Enhanced education and training facilities will include a simulation laboratory.
The start of construction followed the recent approval of the State Significant Development Application and the appointment of Multiplex as the builder.
Completion is expected in 2027.
Community members and local businesses interested in working on the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital are encouraged to attend an employment information session with Multiplex later this month. Further details regarding this will be made available on the project website.
The hospital is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build better communities following a $3.4 billion investment in 2024-25 to upgrade hospitals and health facilities to ”deliver the essential services the people of NSW rely on no matter where they live”.
Premier Chris Minns said that for years the local community, led by Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland, fought for a level-four hospital in the Eurobodalla and the government was proud to be delivering it.
“As the South Coast continues to grow, this new hospital will play a critical role in the NSW Government’s plan to rebuild essential services and health care in the region,” Mr Minns said.
Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said the hospital meant that patients could be treated closer to home and, in many instances, would not have to travel for critical care. It would provide the community with a significantly larger emergency department and the first public MRI machine for the Eurobodalla community.
Dr Holland, who is also the Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health, said having central level-four critical emergency services to treat heart attacks, strokes and sepsis cases would avoid having to transfer patients to another hospital or Canberra in many instances.
“This is good news for patients, their families and our clinical staff,” he said.
Original Article published by Marion Williams on About Regional.