Tamworth Hospital Redevelopment
Residents of Tamworth will benefit from national health reform with today’s announcement that the Gillard Government will be the majority funding partner for the $220 million major redevelopment and expansion of Tamworth Hospital.
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Joint Media Release
The Hon Wayne Swan MP
Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer
The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
4 May 2011Residents of Tamworth will benefit from national health reform with today’s announcement that the Gillard Government will be the majority funding partner for the $220 million major redevelopment and expansion of Tamworth Hospital.
Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan said the project will not only greatly improve access to quality health care, but would stimulate the local Tamworth economy and create jobs.
“Finding room in this very responsible Budget for expanded health services has been difficult, but shows what a high priority it is for the Gillard Government,’’ Mr Swan said.
Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon, who was joined by local member for New England, Tony Windsor MP at the announcement, explained the redevelopment will importantly provide more beds and operating procedure rooms and improve linkages between the hospital and health care services in the region.
“Helping people to access healthcare when and where they need is a priority for national health reform,” Minister Roxon said.
“This redevelopment of Tamworth Hospital will provide more emergency treatment, more elective surgery, and more specialty care including cancer and dental care.
“Most importantly, this redevelopment will mean better health care services closer to home and less need for Tamworth patients to travel to Sydney or Newcastle.”
The hospital’s emergency department will be boosted with six new emergency treatment bays, increasing the number to 26, and a new resuscitation treatment bay.
There will also be 10 new overnight beds, two new operating suites, and four operating theatre recovery units. The maternity department will be expanded with a new labour birthing room, and five new special care cots.
“The redevelopment also recognises the growing need for services for diabetes, cancer and dental patients,” Ms Roxon said. “There will be seven new renal dialysis chairs, six new chemotherapy chairs and the number of dental chairs will be doubled, to eight.”
Minister Roxon said that NSW Health had successfully applied for funding for the hospital redevelopment from the Government’s Health and Hospitals Fund (HHF). The project – receiving $120 million from the Gillard Government and the remainder from the NSW Government – will provide an improved, purpose designed hospital that can provide high quality services across the health care spectrum. The application was assessed by the independent HHF Advisory Board and found to satisfy the funding requirements. The NSW Government has also agreed to commit $100m of the $220m to this important project.
“These projects will not only greatly improve access to quality health care, but will stimulate local economies and create jobs,” Minister Roxon said
“The Government has committed $5 billion to the HHF as part of its national health reform agenda."
Media Contacts:
Deputy Prime Minister: 02 6277 7340
Minister Roxon: 02 6277 7220
Project summary
The investment in the redevelopment of Tamworth Hospital will deliver:
- 2 new operating suites/procedure rooms;
- 4 new operating theatre recovery units;
- 6 new emergency department treatment bays;
- an additional emergency resuscitation treatment bay;
- additional overnight bed capacity, increasing by 10 beds;
- an additional labour birthing room;
- 5 new special care cots;
- 7 new renal dialysis chairs;
- an increase in chemotherapy chairs from 8 to 14; and
- doubling the number of dental chairs from 4 to 8.
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