$15 million COVID-19 ward fast-tracked for Royal North Shore

The ward with more than 40 beds will cater to patients who are recovering from COVID-19 and require ongoing care before they are cleared to go home.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the new ward was another step in the operation to bolster the State’s vital health infrastructure in the battle against COVID-19.

“Speeding up the delivery of projects like this recovery ward at Royal North Shore is vital to ensuring we are equipped to meet increased demand due to COVID-19,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“We have already opened hundreds of new beds, more than doubling ICU capacity across the state, and this is yet another step forward in supporting our frontline health workers to keep the community safe.”

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the Royal North Shore project was part of NSW Health’s Pandemic Plan to boost resources across the State.

“This project is being fast-tracked to ensure additional bed capacity at Royal North Shore Hospital as we head into the flu season and will be operational by late May,” Mr Hazzard said.

“It will enable patients to be discharged safely from the Intensive Care Unit as soon as they are stable, ensuring capacity for critically ill patients.”

Two floors of the Douglas Building are being re-purposed and will involve the relocation of administration staff to elsewhere on the campus.

Other health infrastructure projects being fast-tracked include:

• $73 million Macksville Hospital Development;
• $70.7 million Mudgee Hospital Redevelopment;
• New Intensive Care Unit beds at Dubbo, as part of the $150 million Stages 3 and 4 Hospital redevelopment.

The NSW Government previously announced $800 million for NSW Health to support the health system including significantly increasing capacity in NSW public hospitals, particularly within ICUs.