A purpose-built COVID-19 recovery ward at the Royal North Shore Hospital is set to be the first major project underway as part of $100 million worth of health infrastructure being fast-tracked.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the ward with more than 40 beds would cater to patients recovering from COVID-19 that required ongoing care before they were cleared to go home.
Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard said the project was part of NSW Health’s Pandemic Plan to boost resources across the State.
“This project is being fast-tracked to ensure additional bed capacity at Royal North Shore Hospital as we head into the flu season,” Mr Hazzard said.
“(It) will be operational by late May,” he said.
“It will enable patients to be discharged safely from the Intensive Care Unit as soon as they are stable, ensuring capacity for critically ill patients.
“Two floors of the Douglas Building are being re-purposed and will involve the relocation of administration staff to elsewhere on the campus.”
Mr Hazzard said the next health infrastructure projects to be fast-tracked would include the Macksville Hospital Development ($73 million); Mudgee Hospital Redevelopment ($70.7 million); and the new Intensive Care Unit beds at Dubbo (part of the $150 million Stages three and four Hospital redevelopment).
