The Illawarra health department says it fully supports the "co-location" of the Women's Trauma Recovery Centre at the old Port Kembla Hospital site, but says a clear idea of site availability for the centre won't be available for some time.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The comments come after trauma centre advocate Sally Stevenson raised concerns negotiations with the NSW government over a commitment to provide space at the former hospital site had stalled. Ms Stevenson had said there was a 'very real risk' the government would not come through with its promise.
Now the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District released a statement to say it remained committed to working with the centre of excellence for domestic violence recovery, but makes clear that many factors need to be taken into consideration. A district spokesperson said "the commitment stands" to "an opportunity to explore the potential for a parcel of land for the IWHC to develop a Trauma Recovery Centre, to be co-located with future new NSW health facilities and services proposed for a section of the Port Kembla Hospital campus at Warrawong."
They warned that details on the site availability would be subject to a lengthy planning process, and said Port Kembla Hospital remained in use and "would not be available for any alternative use for some time."
Ms Stevenson, the Illawarra Women's Health Centre Executive Director, said the organisation still needed "certainty of details in writing", as well as a commitment of $2m to refurbish the old Warilla Library as a temporary home.
"We appreciate the health department confirming a commitment to explore the potential for land at Port Kembla Hospital, but we still have no certainty or clarity to give us the assurance that the site will eventuate," she said.
"Our position still stands in that we need the certainty of details in writing and a commitment of $2m to refurbish the old Warilla Library as a temporary home, and to start the design process, with women with lived experience, for the permanent, fit for purpose, building. "
Meanwhile the shadow minister for health, Ryan Park said he was working with Shellharbour MP Anna Watson to support the centre.
"The Women's Trauma Recovery Centre is a project that I know is really important and one that my colleague Anna Watson and I are actively working on," he said.
"Labor is currently working with the Parliamentary Budget Office to make sure any commitments we give to the centre are properly costed and funded."
Tell us what you think by writing a letter to the editor here.