The NSW Government will make good on its health funding promises for the Illawarra in the upcoming state budget, and will set aside millions to begin the much-needed expansion of the region's largest hospital.
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Health Minister and Minister for the Illawarra Ryan Park has announced that the September 19 budget will set aside $22 million to improve Wollongong Hospital and $7.5 million to upgrade Milton Ulladulla Hospital.
While he has made it clear that his focus will be on staffing within the health system, he said this money for infrastructure would give the region greater access to "quality healthcare".
The improvements at Wollongong - an election commitment from Labor - will include $7.85 million for medical imaging services to provide a new CT scanner and MRI, and $2 million to improve radiation treatment services for cancer patients.
There will also be a promised $12 million to start the planning and design work for the future redevelopment of the hospital, which the government plans to turn into a "nationally significant" health precinct.
Member for Wollongong Paul Scully, also the Planning Minister, has spoken out in recent years about about the need to expand Wollongong Hospital, where patients have faced record wait times for treatment in the ED in recent years.
"I've been campaigning for better funding and better resourcing for Wollongong Hospital for years, so that our local health infrastructure can keep up with growing demands," he said.
He said the $12 million for planning a design work would fund additional work to prepare the hospital to expand further by developing a future Hospital Master Plan and the Metro Wollongong Health Precinct Strategy.
Earlier this year, he said the strategy was in development by the government with a discussion paper to be released this year set to outline how the hospital will expand over the coming decades.
He said these plans for the health precinct would be "a considerable change" in the delivery of services as well as how the hospital is connected to the rest of the Wollongong CBD.
The upgrades at Milton Ulladulla, also an election promise, will include a CT scanner, $1.5 million to upgrade the Community Cancer Services Centre and $500,000 to start facility master planning, including a return of birthing services.
Ms Park has also confirmed Labor will continue with the delivery of the $722 million Shellharbour Hospital redevelopment project, and the Shoalhaven Hospital, both which were started under the previous government.
He has continued to warn of the "deteriorating fiscal conditions" and "record debt" in the state as budget day nears, indicating that there may not be much more in store for the region beyond election promises.
Also this week, Mr Park announced that the government would invest more than half a billion dollars to make 1112 temporary nurse and midwife jobs, which were only funded by the previous government until 2025, permanent.
This includes 61 positions in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District.
The government has also confirmed it will deliver promised funds to the Illawarra Women's Health Centre, as part of a $34.3 million pool of extra money for these services across the state over the next four years.
Shellharbour MP Anna Watson welcomed the commitment to continuing with the Shellharbour Hospital redevelopment, while Heathcote MP Maryanne Stuart said the $7.85 million for medical imaging services would cut wait times and help with early detection of serious illnesses..
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
