Northern Beaches hospital underway

NSW Premier and Member for Manly Mike Baird today joined Health Minister Jillian Skinner to tour the new Northern Beaches Hospital construction site.

Principal Rosemary McDowall and engineering students from neighbouring Forest High School accompanied Mr Baird, Mrs Skinner and Member for Davidson Jonathan O’Dea as they walked through the 6.5 hectare Frenchs Forest site.

To mark the occasion, the group left handprints in freshly-poured concrete which will be set and displayed in the hospital gardens when it opens in 2018.

“The two large cranes which loom over this site are visible signs to the people of the Northern Beaches that we are getting on with the job of building a world-class hospital on their doorstep,” Mr Baird said.

“Internal roads and foundations are in place and in coming weeks the building will start to rise from the ground. During the peak of construction, 700 people will be employed on site so this project is good for the economy as well as ensuring the future health needs of our region.”

Mrs Skinner said: “It is so exciting to witness the progress on the Northern Beaches Hospital, which is on track to open in late 2018. The community will be able to choose to receive public or private services in a world-class, integrated hospital.”

The NSW Government has partnered with private healthcare provider Healthscope to design, build, operate and maintain the hospital. Under a long-term contract with NSW Health, Healthscope will provide public patient services funded by the NSW Government, as well as private patient services.

The nine-storey hospital will include 488 beds, 1,400 car spaces, a helipad, a 50-space emergency department, 14 operating theatres, advanced intensive care and critical care units and an inpatient mental health facility.

The capital value of the project is around $1 billion, which includes $400 million in road upgrades.

For further information, go to www.northernbeacheshospital.com.au