Australia's New South Wales (NSW) Government has appointed a specialist design team to advance the Wollongong Hospital redevelopment project.
This move is part of an A$21.9m ($14.8m) investment by the state government, aimed at enhancing the hospital's existing services and infrastructure.
With the latest appointment, the design team will now collaborate with the Health Infrastructure and Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District to identify clinical service priorities.
These efforts are part of the detailed master planning process, which will facilitate the hospital's upgrades and future redevelopment.
The NSW government said that it will continue to consult with hospital staff, clinicians, and the local community throughout the year, ensuring their insights and feedback contribute to the hospital’s upgrades and future planning.
The scope and timelines for the project will be established as planning and design work progresses and stakeholders will be kept informed.
NSW Health Minister and Illawarra and South Coast Minister Ryan Park said: “The NSW Government is committed to investing in health infrastructure across the Illawarra and South Coast, to deliver better health services and outcomes for our local communities now and into the future.
“It’s been decades since major works have been undertaken at Wollongong Hospital, and the appointment of a planning and design team means we can start to visualise how the future expansion of the region’s largest hospital might look and how critical upgrades will enhance health services.”
This redevelopment is one of several significant health service investments in the region, including the A$438m Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment and the A$780m new Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services project, which is currently underway.
These projects aim to reduce the need for patient transfers to Sydney, improving local healthcare access.
Wollongong member Paul Scully said: “Making sure our health facilities can meet the needs of the growing community with changing health needs involves in-depth planning and consultation, so the appointment of a project manager, architect, and cost manager is an important milestone in the delivery of upgrades and facility master planning for Wollongong Hospital.”
