Tweed to get new hospital

TWEED is to get a new hospital in what is expected to be the biggest infrastructure project ever in the shire.

Planning for the $534 million project – which will be included in next week’s NSW State Budget – will get underway soon but is not expected to be completed for several years.

Additional resourcing will be injected into the existing facility in the interim to provide new pop-up theatres and wards.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Health Minister Brad Hazzard joined Tweed MP Geoff Provest at the existing Tweed Hospital to announce the new package.

It follows years of campaigning by local medical staff, concerned the ageing infrastructure of the current facility is not capable of meeting the needs of the growing region.

Mr Barilaro said the new hospital would greatly improve health services for the region, which is forecast to grow by more than 40 per cent to 128,000 people by 2031.

“The Tweed Shire is the latest area to benefit from the NSW Government’s pledge to enhance regional health services,” Mr Barilaro said.

Mr Provest said this was the “biggest news in the Tweed for decades”.

“It’s taken a Liberals and Nationals Government, which I am part of, to recognise the needs of the Tweed and I am so proud of what we are going to achieve here,” he said.

The hospital is expected to include:

• more overnight beds

• more operating theatres

• a larger emergency department

• an integrated cancer care service

• enhanced cardiac care services An Expression of Interest and site selection process will begin soon.