The past and future of Prince of Wales Hospital was marked today with the unveiling of a History Wall and a first glimpse at plans for the new $720 million redevelopment.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard joined Member for Coogee, Bruce Notley-Smith, to mark the hospital’s 160th anniversary and reveal designs for its new Acute Services Building.
Today we celebrate not only the rich history of Prince of Wales Hospital but its exciting future, as it transforms into a world-class health and education hub,” Mr Hazzard said.
“This amazing new complex will house more theatres, more beds, a new intensive care unit, a new helipad, a bigger emergency department and psychiatric emergency care and plenty more.
“This important investment is also supporting greater integration of research and education across the precinct, which enables improved treatment options, a better patient experience and helps educate the health workforce of the future.”
Mr Notley-Smith said this is the first major upgrade to the hospital in 25 years, despite about 58,000 emergency department presentations and about 380,000 outpatient appointments each year.
“Labor sat on its hands for years without investing in health infrastructure in the east. This new precinct is truly futuristic healthcare for our community,” Mr Notley-Smith said.
Member for Vaucluse, Gabrielle Upton, said facilities at the new Prince of Wales Hospital, which began as the Asylum for Destitute Children, will cement its place at the cutting edge of health and research attracting the world’s best and brightest.
“Already, the Randwick precinct employs about 17,000 people and teaches 50,000 students, but this new development will make it a magnet for the most talented minds.”
The Randwick Health and Education Precinct incorporates Prince of Wales Hospital, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney Children’s Hospital, University of NSW, Mental Health, NeuRA, Black Dog Institute and the Bright Alliance.
As part of the hospital’s 160th anniversary celebrations, medical staff and volunteers. past and present, took part in a photo to recreate the original image taken in the same courtyard in 1920 when the hospital was renamed by the then Prince of Wales.
The new Acute Services Building is expected to be finished within the next four years. In the meantime, the Emergency Department is undergoing transition works to deliver eight new treatment spaces, expected to be operational by the end of 2018.
The redevelopment of the Randwick Health and Education precinct will include:
See images and a fly-through of the Prince of Wales Hospital redevelopment.