It's been a long wait, but Shellharbour Hospital nurses were overjoyed with the news that their hospital will be built from scratch on a new site.
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Registered nurse Chevonne Cowell, and Shellharbour delegate for the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, said staff were "extremely excited" about the announcement.
"We campaigned tirelessly to ensure the hospital was not redeveloped under a public-private partnership and since that decision was overturned three years ago, we have waited to hear what will happen," Ms Cowell said.
"The announcement of a $700 million hospital is more than we ever anticipated, which means we will have a state-of-the-art hospital which is fantastic for our community."
Ms Cowell said the hospital was "land locked" at the current site, and a new site would enable a facility that was big enough to meet the demands of the growing population in the area.
"We will be able to build exactly what we need, the right-size hospital with a layout that enables flow and efficiency," she said. "And because it's being built on a new site, there'll be no disruption to services during construction."
Ms Cowell said the current hospital was "bursting at the seams". "We need a bigger ED, the mental health facilities are no longer fit-for-purpose and we absolutely need maternity services with many young families in this region."
NSW Health Minister paid tribute to the work of Illawarra Labor MPs Anna Watson, Paul Scully and Ryan Park in advocating for funds for the hospital.
Shellharbour MP Anna Watson said she'd been lobbying for improved services at the hospital since she was elected in 2011.
"This is a fabulous announcement for our community, it's going to bring more jobs, it's going to take pressure off Wollongong Hospital's emergency department and it's going to provide services the community needs," Ms Watson said.
Mr Park, Labor's health spokesman, and Mr Scully also welcomed the news, paying testament to those who campaigned against the PPP.
"I look forward to the start of building this new health facility and its integration into the local health care network," Mr Scully said.
Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba said both sides of politics had worked together to bring about the positive outcome for the local community.
"I've been supportive of a new hospital in Shellharbour for quite some time," she said.
"The current site could have been refurbished and renovated but there was no capacity to expand the services currently being operated out of that site.
"Identifying and securing the right site is really important - it has to be close to public transport and close to the highway for access.
"It needs to offer all the services it currently provides plus additional services like maternity, so our residents don't have to go to Wollongong or Sydney for care and treatment."
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