The site of the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital was announced today by the Member for Bega, Andrew Constance as he addressed the media at the intersection of Keightley Street and Albert Street at the site perimeter adjacent to the preferred site. Member for Bega Andrew Constance said today marks a significant milestone in the delivery of the $200 million Eurobodalla regional hospital. "The new $200 million Eurobodalla Health Service is another step closer for the local community with a preferred site identified in south-east Moruya.
“I made it clear to the community that this announcement was imminent, and here we are today.
“This facility will be built to cater for the health service needed across the region. It will be an incredible place of care for our community and a tremendous workplace for staff.
“The Eurobodalla Health Service will deliver a new, modern and purpose-built hospital to accommodate a range of Level 4 Services for the entire Eurobodalla Shire, from Narooma to Batemans Bay,” Mr Constance said.
“Consultation with the community and consumers, local Aboriginal groups and key stakeholders, including Transport for NSW and the Eurobodalla Shire Council, helped identify the preferred site in south-east Moruya.”
“The preferred site has been evaluated against a range of assessment criteria including current and projected population growth areas, flood and bushfire zones, capacity for future expansion, transport, and access to and from key infrastructure such as Moruya Airport and the planned Moruya Bypass. An acquisition process will now commence with the owner of the preferred site.
“This is a regionally significant development. Planning and design of the new hospital will be a collaborative process involving consultation with clinicians, staff, patient groups, local stakeholders and the community,” Mr Constance said.
Above: Stakeholders, health service staff and community members are invited to visit the interactive site map to explore the preferred site location, provide feedback and ask questions.
“The new hospital will bring hundreds of construction and health service jobs to the region, with site works expected to start once the recommended site is acquired, and project planning and design processes are complete,” Mr Constance said.
The project team has been appointed to commence planning, with the team comprising Health Infrastructure, Southern NSW Local Health District, Root Partnerships (Project Manager), Conrad Gargett (Architecture) and Genus Advisory (Cost Manager).
The $200 million to deliver the new Eurobodalla Health Service builds on the NSW Government’s extensive investment in health facilities across the district.
Above: Member for Bega, Andrew Constance joined with NSW Health Infrastructure, NSW Southern Local Health District, NSW Board and the Eurobodalla Consultative committee to announce the Eurobodalla Health Service site in Moruya
Attending the announcement as a representative of the One Eurobodalla Hospital group who have lobbied solidly for the new regional hospital Dr Michael Holland said:
"The One New Eurobodalla hospital advocacy group welcomes today’s announcement of the site for a new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital.
"Firstly, we acknowledge that this site is being built on land that has been the home to our Indigenous people for tens of millennia.
"We acknowledge the work of many individuals and entities in achieving this goal. Specifically, we acknowledge the work of our political representatives and leaders: the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, the Minister for Health & Medical Research, Mr Brad Hazzard, and the Member for Bega, Mr Andrew Constance.
"We thank the Chief Executive, Margaret Bennett, and Board of the SNSWLHD
for their support for the project."
"Anatomy is the science that studies the structure of the body. Physiology is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system."
"Health Infrastructure NSW are the anatomists of this structure. The group has provided the right site. It will provide equitable access to all residents of the Eurobodalla from north
of Batemans Bay to south of Narooma. With the development of the new Moruya bypass, it allows direct access to the hospital and Moruya airport.
"The size of the site allows for future development and is secure from fire and flood. The selection process was performed with the due diligence of independent evaluation and consultation.
"The Clinical Services Planning team are the physiologists who will determine
the function of the health services to be provided.
"Work continues on the planning for provision of services to the Eurobodalla community which currently lacks Intensive Care, Paediatric, Mental Health and Orthopaedic services which are provided within our neighbouring Regional and Base hospitals within the LHD.
"One New Eurobodalla hospital members expect that the new Eurobodalla Regional hospital will open its doors with level 4 services clinical services integrated from before birth to the end of life, including physical and mental health.
"This will be achieved by the commencement of improvements in A&E and
Close Observation services during this transition."
Unable to attend the site announcement the Federal Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips told The Beagle " I welcome the NSW Government’s long-overdue announcement of the location for the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital. Our community has been waiting for the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital for years, so I am pleased to see that moving forward with today’s announcement of the location.”
Fiona Phillips said while knowing the location is great, the community rightly wants to make sure they have a facility that is fit-for-purpose and will provide the ongoing health support they will need into the future.
“We need to make sure we get this right – the hospital must be a Level 4 facility and must include mental health inpatient beds. Now is the time for the Federal Government to stump up financial support for this much-needed regional hospital,” she concluded saying she calls on the Morrison Government to provide funding to ensure that mental health inpatient beds are included as a priority.
In acknowledging the announcement the Shadow Minister for Health, Ryan Park told The Beagle “The health system in the Eurobodalla is overstretched and under resourced. The community has waited for too long for this hospital. Now they finally have a site, it’s critical the Government ensures construction gets underway as soon as possible.
“The Government also needs to come clean about the level status of the hospital. We still don’t know what the staffing levels will be; what health services will be available to patients; and whether these services will be privatised. No assurance has been made.
“The Eurobodalla community deserves the same access to the same services as people in other major centres.”
VIDEO: Dr Michael Holland on behalf of ONE One New Eurobodalla hospital advocacy group - Hospital site announcement December 7th 2020
