The centre, which will include a hospital and a 60-suite residential aged care centre, is being built by NSW Health and IRT Group as part of a public/private partnership.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra Gareth Ward released the design for the hospital’s $33.8 million transformation on Friday.

‘’The Bulli Aged Care Centre of Excellence has been redesigned from scratch since the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government announced we would build the new facility opposite the existing Bulli Hospital,” he said.

‘’The facility will provide a much better service to the people of the northern Illawarra region, with a focus on geriatric medicine and primary and community health services.

‘’We are absolutely committed to this project, with $9 million allocated towards building the hospital in this year’s Budget.’’

NSW Health will provide $19.3 million towards the hospital project, which was also allocated $14.5 million from the Restart Illawarra Infrastructure Investment Fund in December 2013. 

Keira MP Ryan Park has been vocal about the lack of progress on the project since then, however Mr Ward said the release of the design was a ‘’major leap forward.’’

IRT Group, which will invest $16.6 million, will build and operate the residential aged care part of the project.

‘’Our vision for the care centre is for a creative built environment that supports a new model of care being delivered in harmony with the hospital and Bulli community,’’ IRT Group CEO Nieves Murray said.

‘’That model will better support customer choice and decision making – ensuring people get the right care, at the right time, by the right team and in the right place.’’

Ms Murray said this model would enable residents to move between different areas of care, rather than staying in the same room regardless of their changing needs.

Mr Ward said NSW Health was working with user groups –  including doctors, nurses and support staff –  to develop the layout and configuration of the facilities.

He said construction timeframes would be announced when planning was complete.