The $110 million upgrade of Port Macquarie Base Hospital has been given the green light, with planning approval for the project passed.
This clears the way for tenders to be called this month and construction to start before the end of the year.
The expansion will provide an extra 70 overnight acute in-patient beds, a larger emergency department, reconfigured and expanded operating theatres, new critical care unit and a cardiac catheterisation laboratory.
The upgrade will involve construction of a new three-storey building at the western end of the site adding approximately 12,000m² of floor space to the existing hospital footprint (which is currently 18,000m²).
Independent Member for Lyne Rob Oakeshott said the hospital’s upgrade was the largest Commonwealth spend on health infrastructure in the region’s history, and would change the way health services were delivered on the Mid-North Coast for decades to come.
“We’re on target for a 2015 completion date with the final result being better public access to a wider range of services,” Mr Oakeshott said.
“The redevelopment is the result of a lot of hard work by many good people at the base hospital and in our community.
“But it also is the reality of negotiations that followed the 2010 federal election which are now delivering upgrades to 105 regional hospitals, including Port Base and Kempsey District.
“This unique opportunity will deliver the fourth and fifth pods to Port Base — 70 additional acute in-patient beds, a larger emergency department, additional operating theatres, a new critical care unit and cardiac cath lab, a new Day Procedure Unit, a new Medical Inpatient ward and a new Paediatric Ward.
The largest spend on a local hospital prior to the upgrade announcement was $80 million in 2005, also secured by Mr Oakeshott, to return the then privatised base hospital to public ownership.
Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams, said the hospital expansion project will go a long way to supporting projected growth in both population and the need for aged care in the Hastings-Macleay district.
“Obtaining final approval means the expansion project will see the tenders being issued in August and the main construction works commencing later this year,” Mrs Williams said.
“The approval enables the bulk earth works and piling for the new buildings to start and it is great to see that this phase of the project is due to commence well ahead of
schedule.”
