Still no maternity ward in updated Shellharbour Hospital plans

Early works to prepare the site for construction have largely been completed, as the main package of works await approval from the Planning Department.

In a response to submissions report prepared for Health Infrastructure - the arm of NSW Health that is delivering the new hospital - planners confirm that birthing services are not included in the current design.

"Birthing will remain at Wollongong Hospital due to the specialist services and staff that are required to maintain a safe birthing facility."

Prior to the 2023 NSW state election, Ms Watson committed to a full suite of services for women and children, including a maternity ward.

Since coming to office, however, Ms Watson has failed to shift the dial on this, with the health department's position unchanged since the original environmental impact statement was lodged in September last year.

"In my view, the maternity ward is essential," Ms Watson said. "It's not an added extra, it's absolutely essential."

Kiama MP Gareth Ward said the delivery of the hospital was a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" that the government needed to get right.

"Whilst I have asked questions of the former government and this government about birthing and maternity services as well as the need for a helipad at the new hospital, there appears to be no change in the government's position that these services will not be provided."

The inclusion of a helipad has also been a point of contention, with Mr Ward previously calling the lack of a facility to transport patients via air as "unacceptable", particularly given the existing Shellharbour hospital has a helipad.

In the response to submissions report, it is suggested that patients transported by air travel via Shellharbour Airport, which has an existing helicopter rescue service, with the journey between the airport and hospital completed by road.

"The hospital design has also been future proofed to enable the construction of a rooftop helipad in the future," the report adds.

Helicopters will be able to land next to the hospital in disaster emergency response situations.

What has changed in the updated documents is who will foot the bill for changes to the Dunmore Road, Shellharbour Road intersection, which will be the only access point for patients coming into the hospital.

Previously, as part of the project, the intersection would be upgraded with traffic lights and slip lanes, instead of the current two lane roundabout. Due to cost increases in the project and industry-wide cost pressure in construction, this will no longer be the case.

"Health Infrastructure is committed to working with TfNSW and Shellharbour City Council to establish a potential future pathway to the Shellharbour Junction Station and appropriate upgrade of the Shellharbour Road/ Dunmore Road intersection; however these are not pieces of infrastructure that can be delivered as part of the hospital redevelopment," the report notes.

While Ms Watson said there was "a lot of water to go under the bridge" in terms of getting the final road design right, the current arrangement was an "accident waiting to happen".

"My main concern is that we can't have somebody dying in the back of an ambulance because the road infrastructure hasn't been done appropriately."

With the project now awaiting the final seal of approval from the planning department before a builder can be appointed, there remain large question marks about the project.