Western Sydney families can now access emergency and specialised children’s health services closer to home at Blacktown Hospital’s new paediatric ward opened as part of a $700 million expansion of Blacktown and Mt Druitt hospitals.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard today visited Blacktown Hospital to open the new 12-bed paediatric ward, which also includes two negative pressure rooms to manage patients in isolation with respiratory illnesses including COVID-19.
Mr Hazzard said the new paediatric ward is equipped to manage an extensive range of paediatric conditions for babies through to 16-year-olds, from gastroenteritis, asthma, bronchiolitis, cellulitis and croup to surgical fractures and general paediatric surgery.
“This project has been more than 10 years in the making and the NSW Government has transformed this ambition into reality through our $700 million-plus expansion of Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospitals,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The new paediatric ward has been designed with input from staff and patients’ families, creating a warm and welcoming environment with indoor and outdoor play areas and plenty of toys and activities to help children through their treatment and recovery.”
The new paediatric ward features:
· Inpatient services including emergency, medical and surgical bed access;
· Day stay procedural services, for example, transfusions and drug therapies;
· Ambulatory and community outreach services;
· Specialist clinics including skin prick testing, food challenge and allergy clinics;
· Commissioned art throughout the ward to help make children feel welcome;
· Leisure and play spaces, including an outdoor play area, with appropriate toys, books and activities for children and adolescents;
· A break out space for parents.
Member for Riverstone Kevin Conolly said the new 12-bed ward had been carefully designed with local input to provide the best care possible for children and their families in Western Sydney communities.
“The bright and colourful artwork will help put children at ease during what can be a stressful time and features familiar landmarks from the local area that will help them feel at home,” Mr Conolly said.
“Having already accepted its first patients last month, the ward will work in unison with existing paediatric services at Mount Druitt Hospital to enhance and expand paediatric care across the Blacktown Local Government Area and Western Sydney.”
Member for Seven Hills Mark Taylor said the specialised children’s health services provided at Blacktown Hospital’s new paediatric ward were a huge boost for families in Western Sydney.
“Having these accessible, top quality medical services for children in the heart of Western Sydney will make a big difference to local families trying to juggle day-to-day lives with the challenges of looking after unwell children,” Mr Taylor said.
“Children and young families are the heart of our community and having these specialised health services closer to home will assist health outcomes locally both now and into the future.”
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In addition to the new paediatric ward, the completed $700 million Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals Expansion Project also includes a new emergency department, women’s and newborn health services, intensive care unit, operating theatres, and psychiatric emergency care service.
The $700 million expansion project brings the NSW Liberal Government’s total health investment in Western Sydney to more than $2.5 billion.
Projects include the $1 billion Westmead Redevelopment; $619 million Children’s Hospital at Westmead Stage 2; $300 million for the Rouse Hill Hospital; and, funded as part of the $700 million Statewide Mental Health Infrastructure Program, a new Mother and Baby unit at Westmead Hospital, and two new mental health units at Blacktown Hospital.
The NSW Government is investing a record $10.8 billion in health infrastructure across the state over four years to 2024-25. Since 2011, the NSW Government has delivered more than 170 hospitals and health facilities across the state, with more than 110 currently underway.
