Pediatric and research centre build approaches completion
The $658m Sydney Children's Hospital and Cancer Centre nears completion, enhancing paediatric care with integrated research and inclusive design.
The $658 million Sydney Children’s Hospital Stage 1 and Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre is progressing, with construction of the new 12-storey building nearing its final stages.
The building is being delivered as part of a more than $1.5 billion investment in health infrastructure within the Randwick Health and Innovation Precinct, and will bring together leading clinicians, researchers and educators under the one roof to transform kids’ health.
Construction of the new children's hospital and research centre building has progressed significantly, with internal fit-out of contemporary new clinical spaces well underway, including within the new children’s emergency department, which is significantly larger than the current facility – enabling expanded and enhanced paediatric emergency service delivery, including new short stay beds.
Work to deliver more than 3,000 square metres of publicly accessible green space is also underway, which has been designed to transform the patient experience and support wellbeing.
In a first for the Sydney Children’s Hospital, the redevelopment will feature an all-abilities interactive outdoor play space to provide a place for patients, families and visitors to explore, relax and enjoy the outdoors.
Designed in partnership with the local community, the nature-inspired play space will include a climbing feature, various slides, hammocks, sensory features and quiet areas.
New seating and landscaping will enable the space to be enjoyed by children in hospital beds and wheelchairs, to create an inclusive and welcoming accessible area for all ages and abilities.
The new hospital and research centre will include:
- a new and larger children's emergency department
- a new and enhanced children’s Intensive Care Unit
- a new medical short stay unit
- a new neurosciences centre
- a new virtual care centre and hospital command centre – KidsHQ
- inpatient units for medical, surgical and sleep studies
- a day oncology centre and inpatient units, along with a dedicated bone marrow transplant unit
- co-located state-of-the-art wet and dry research laboratories to support the Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre’s research, education and training
- a new children’s hospital pharmacy
- improved parent amenities, including an Aboriginal Gathering Space and overnight and oncology bereavement rooms
- education and training spaces.
The Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre will be housed within both the new hospital building and the adjacent UNSW Health Translation Hub which is currently under construction. It will include technologically advanced laboratory spaces and deliver integrated, specialist cancer treatment, education and research, aiming to transform childhood cancer treatment and become one of the world’s leading paediatric cancer centres.
In a first for Australia, childhood cancer research and the clinical care of children with cancer will be fully integrated in the one facility, accelerating the translation of research discovery into improved clinical practice.
Delivered by Health Infrastructure in partnership with the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, Children’s Cancer Institute and UNSW Sydney, the project has supported more than 1,200 direct construction jobs and will enable a pipeline for 500 roles within paediatrics across the Randwick Health and Innovation Precinct.
Construction is set to continue into the second half of the year, followed by hospital operational commissioning in readiness for the building opening to patients scheduled from late 2025.
For more information, visit The Children’s Hospital at Westmead project page.