An exciting day for the Glen Innes community with an extra $30 million delivered for the hospital redevelopment project, Glen Innes Hospital Auxiliary Treasurer Elizabeth McCarthy, left, Glen Innes Severn Councillor Lara Gresham, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, Mayor Rob Banham, General Manager Craig Bennett, Hunter New England Health Tablelands Operations Manager Catherine (Topsy) Jones, Glen Innes Acting Health Services Manager Renae Bolch and Councillor Carol Sparks.
Friday, 11 February 2022
NORTHERN Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has today joined hospital staff and community leaders to announce an additional $30 million funding boost for the Glen Innes Hospital redevelopment – rocketing its budget to a total of $50 million.
Mr Marshall lobbied the Health Minister Brad Hazzard last year to have the project budget more than doubled, after preliminary clinical services planning revealed an increased scope of works was required.
Mr Marshall said the announcement gives NSW Health Infrastructure the financial freedom to deliver on the community’s aspirations for enhanced health services and facilities for the region.
“This is the breakthrough Glen Innes residents have been fighting for,” Mr Marshall said.
“It’s a very exciting day for the community, particularly our hard-working health staff.
“Since the initial $20 million funding allocation in the 2020-21 NSW Budget, there has been a monumental amount of planning go into defining what health services Glen Innes Hospital requires to meet the health needs of the community now and into the future.
“As is expected with any major infrastructure project, the scope of works is being developed and the project team will continue to work with key stakeholders to help inform planning and design.
“It became obvious late last year that $20 million was not enough money to get the job done – to include everything to meet the health needs of the community now and well into the future.
“We only get one shot at this redevelopment and I didn’t want this critical project constrained by an artificial funding cap and see essential components cut out and dropped off the plans.
“With this additional funding, master planning will continue over the next six weeks with a focus on flexible clinical services and contemporary models of care.”
Mr Marshall said the additional funding would enhance the delivery of contemporary health facilities with a focus on new inpatient areas and enhanced community health and outpatient clinic spaces to support local GPs and visiting specialists.
“In particular, consideration will be given to including two clinic rooms, offering space for medical practitioners, including GPs, to work out of the hospital and support the community,” he said.
“As part of the master planning, the site will be reviewed including demolition of redundant buildings as required.
“I would also like to see the co-location of the Glen Innes ambulance station to the hospital site and have requested that an appropriate location for a future ambulance station on the site be considered in the master plan.
“The old ambulance station on Bourke Street is scheduled for refurbishment, so it makes sense, from a continuity-of-care aspect, that a location for a new premises is included on hospital grounds where nurses, doctors and paramedics can support each other.
“This is a once-in-a-generation redevelopment, we only have one chance to get it right so that the people of Glen Innes have the health services they need and deserve.
“Clinical Service Planning consultation for the project has now been completed, and there will be future opportunities for staff, clinicians and the broader community to have input on shaping the redevelopment as the project progresses.”
A lead consultant project team was appointed last year to progress planning and design, with the draft hospital master plan expected to be unveiled in mid-2022.