The Minns Labor Government is officially opening the upgraded Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital today as part of its $440 million redevelopment, delivering expanded, world-class facilities for the Illawarra and South Coast community.
The modern and purpose-built acute services building is the centrepiece of the redevelopment and is now serving the Shoalhaven.
The new seven-storey building will include an expanded emergency department, double the number of operating theatres and procedure rooms, along with a new rooftop helipad.
The major upgrade will transform healthcare for the growing region for decades to come, allowing Shoalhaven and South Coast communities access to treatment closer to home.
The new acute services building includes:
- a new emergency department and emergency short-stay unit
- a new intensive care unit
- medical wards
- a dedicated acute mental health unit
- double the number of operating theatres, endoscopy and procedure rooms
- a dedicated cardiology inpatient unit, coronary care unit and cardiac catheterisation laboratory
- a new medical imaging unit, including MRI and CT machines
- a new rooftop helipad
The new building connects directly to the existing hospital via a new linkway.
Services from the new and expanded emergency department commenced at 8am yesterday.
The Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital will also be home to one of the most advanced hospital pharmacies in NSW, with the installation of a pharmacy dispensing robot – the first of its kind in a regional NSW hospital.
Working alongside pharmacy teams, this technology supports medications being stored, selected and supplied with greater accuracy and efficiency, freeing up clinicians to spend more time on direct patient care.
Over the coming months, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District will continue the staged transition of services into the new building, including the psychiatric emergency care centre, acute and non-acute mental health services and new cardiology services.
Following the transition of services into the acute services building, the next phase of the redevelopment will focus on refurbishing existing hospital facilities.
The official opening follows years of planning and construction and comes as Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital celebrates 75 years of caring for the local community.
The redevelopment forms part of the more than $1 billion investment from the Minns Labor Government towards health infrastructure across the Illawarra & South Coast region, including:
- $828.9 million for the new Shellharbour Hospital.
- $330.0 million for the Eurobodalla Regional Hospital redevelopment.
- $220.0 million for the Wollongong Hospital and Health Precinct.
Recruitment and retention of health staff for the new facilities have also been supported with the Government’s $200 million Key Health Worker Accommodation Program, which saw the purchase of nine townhouses in Bomaderry last year.
The former Liberal government devastated the health system, creating a wages cap, higher wait times and planned to privatise six of NSW’s public hospitals, including Shellharbour. The Minns Government is delivering more staff, more beds and more hospitals for the Illawarra and South Coast – and will continue to protect them from privatisation.
Investment in the South Coast
The Minns Labor Government has a strong record of delivering essential infrastructure on the South Coast, without privatising public assets.
After more than a decade of neglect under the former government, this Government is upgrading schools, hospitals and delivering critical road and transport projects the region needs.
A re-elected Minns Labor Government will deliver the largest single Illawarra rail investment in generations, committing $6.8 billion to the South Coast Rail Plan, including to electrify the Kiama to Bomaderry service.
The NSW Government is also delivering on our commitment to deliver Calderwood Public School and extend the Tripoli Way, a project neglected by the former government, which will ease congestion through Albion Park and Calderwood.
Major upgrades to Ulladulla High School and Milton Primary School are also ahead of schedule, and nine new fee-free public preschools are under construction.
Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:
“We are delivering a world-class hospital for the Shoalhaven and recruiting more health workers across the South Coast.
“More procedures will be performed locally, and more people will receive care locally.
“We’ve made real progress rebuilding essential services across the Illawarra and South Coast, but we know there is more to do.
“We promised to redevelop the Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital and we have.
“And that’s how you know we will deliver on our promise to electrify the Kiama to Bomaderry train service.”
Minister for Health and Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said:
“These new facilities at Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital will be an absolute game changer for health access in the region, I’m absolutely thrilled to see the Acute Services Building now officially open for patients.
“With emergency care through to cardiology, critical care and medical imaging, this redevelopment has been shaped to meet the needs of this growing community now and into the future.
“Investment in recruitment and health worker accommodation has played a critical role in this project, it’s excellent to see the 120 additional health staff starting with us this week.
“For too long, our region was neglected by the Coalition. The Minns Government is delivering more hospitals, more beds, more staff and more services, it’s a very exciting day for the South Coast.”
Member for the South Coast Liza Butler said:
“This is an incredibly proud moment for our community. The opening of the new Acute Services Building means local families can access more of the care they need close to home, with modern facilities that will serve the Shoalhaven for generations to come.
“From the expanded emergency department to dedicated cardiac services and new medical imaging facilities, this investment will make a real difference to patients and their families, while giving our hardworking hospital staff the facilities they deserve.
“I make no apologies for fighting for better health services for the South Coast. Seeing the doors open on this $440 million redevelopment is a significant milestone, and I will continue advocating for the services our growing community needs.
“Thank you to our dedicated hospital staff, the construction teams and everyone who has helped bring this redevelopment to life. As Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital celebrates 75 years of caring for our community, we are opening a wonderful new chapter in its history.”
Member for Kiama Katelin McInerney said:
“Our community has waited a long time for this moment, this historic uplift means fewer patients transferred to Wollongong and Sydney, and more families getting vital care closer to home, surrounded by the people they love.
“I am so proud to be part of a government that is not only delivering significantly expanded services at Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital, but is also investing in the staff we need and key worker housing for them; with 48 additional nurses hired since the start of the year, 20 more on the way, new clinicians and doctors coming on board, and barriers to recruitment coming down through the first Key Health Worker Accommodation Program townhouses in Bomaderry and the $35 million Bomaderry Built to Rent partnership with Landcom delivering 60 homes for our essential workers.”
