The Commonwealth’s multi-million dollar upgrade of Port Macquarie Base Hospital commenced last week, with the first sod turned for construction of the fourth and fifth pods.
Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott, who played a vital role in pushing the project across the line, attended the $110 million project’s official sod-turning ceremony on Friday, 20 months after securing the commitment from the federal government following the 2010 election.
He was joined by NSW Deputy Premier and Member for Oxley Andrew Stoner and Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams.
The $110 million project is a joint initiative by the NSW ($14m) and Federal Governments ($96m).
Expanded theatres, an expanded intensive care and critical care unit, cardiac catheterisation services, expanded medical and surgical beds and an improved pediatrics ward are part of the upgrade which will eventually result in an additional 300 full-time staff at the hospital.
At Friday’s ceremony, Mr Oakeshott paid tribute to the work of the hospital’s management team, staff and, what he called, the 20-year warriors in ensuring the upgrade became a reality.
He also paid tribute to former state Member for Port Macquarie Peter Besseling, who ensured the planning documents were funded and completed so the hospital could make the most of the Commonwealth funding opportunity that arose in 2010.
“It’s been one heck of a journey for this hospital, from the old site to now, and the campaign for Port Macquarie to get the services our community needed,” Mr Oakeshott said.
“If we hadn’t had the difficult community fights of the past decade, the 20-year contract would be coming to an end in 2014,” said Mr Oakeshott, referring to the $80 million state government buyback in 2005.
“If we hadn’t won that campaign, in just two years from now we’d be handing over this hospital to a private company, a money-making business, for the sum of one dollar.
“We all believe in preventative medicine – this has been an exercise in preventative policy which has delivered an important outcome for our community and the Hastings/Macleay hospital network.
“Thank you to those warriors, many of whom are here today, who have been fighting the good fight for a long time,” Mr Oakeshott said.
Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams said it was a major step forward in the delivery of improved health services for the people of the Hastings. “As someone who has worked in this hospital, I know how desperately this upgrade is needed by both the health professionals and the community,” Mrs Williams said.
“I congratulate the NSW and Federal Governments for their collaboration and I look forward to keeping the community updated on this exciting project for our region,” she said.
Mr Stoner said the commencement of work would be a relief for Mid-North Coast communities.
“Mid-North Coast residents have long deserved a bigger hospital that is better equipped to service the region’s growing population and today is an important milestone towards achieving that,” Mr Stoner said.
