Work has started on Sutherland Hospital’s new, $62.9 million emergency department, which is much larger than previously indicated.
The two-storey building, which will include 60 inpatient beds on the upper level, will be 75 metres long and 50 metres deep.
It will join on to the western end of the front of the hospital and extend almost to the Kingsway.
Health Minister Jillian Skinner inspected work with shire MPs Mark Speakman, Eleni Petinos and Lee Evans.
The redevelopment is expected to be completed by the middle of next year, about the same time as St George Hospital’s new, $277 million clinical services block is opened.
Mrs Skinner said the two projects complemented each other.
“It was always important that these networked hospitals were redeveloped at the same time,” she said.
The new facilities at Sutherland Hospital would ease pressure on St George Hospital, she said.
Mrs Skinner said shire patients would have a “state of the art” emergency department.
The emergency department will have 44 bays, including three resuscitation bays, plus an additional resuscitation bay shell.
This is an increase of nine bays on the existing facility.
The redevelopment will also include an eight-bed short stay unit, where patients awaiting test results or diagnosis can stay without having to be admitted.
At present, the hospital doesn’t have such a facility.
There will also be 14 general medical unit beds, a 32-bed general surgical inpatient unit and an expanded high-dependency/intensive care unit.
The present emergency department will be refurbished to provide an expanded medical imaging service
Refurbishment works will also provide additional storage and support space for the theatre department to improve work flows and efficiency.
Car parking changes have been made to facilitate the construction.
Entry to all public parking is now via the roundabout on Kareena Road.
The $9.1 million multi deck car park, which was opened in late 2014, has 300 car parking spaces.
A 140-space on-grade car park for staff use was constructed prior to the commencement of the main building expansion works at the front of the hospital at the eastern end.
Walk through the new emergency department at: https://youtu.be/8JPLwW24DjA
