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The NSW Government has committed $438 million to redevelop the Shoalhaven District Memoria Hospital as the health hub for the region, providing the majority of emergency, critical care, acute, sub-acute and non-admitted services locally, reducing the need to transfer patients to Wollongong and Sydney. A new building for acute care services will be directly connected to the existing hospital, which will also undergo varying levels of refurbishment.

The redevelopment will provide state-of-the-art medical care for the community, including a new emergency department, medical wards, dedicated mental health ward, cardiology wards and double the number of surgical services and operating theatres.

A new seven-storey building is being proposed to be built with a helipad, and the existing hospital will also be refurbished.  

The health campus will be sensitively landscaped. 

• A new emergency department (ED) and emergency short-stay unit to improve patient flow and reduce wait times
• New state-of-the-art intensive care unit (ICU)
• Theatres and endoscopy procedure rooms which will double in number
• A dedicated cardiology inpatient unit (IPU), corornary care unit and catheterisation lab
• A new vascular surgery service and expanded orthopaedic, general surgery and urology services
• Overnight surgical IPUs and a dedicated day surgery unit
• New medical IPUs for specialties including gastroenterology, respiratory, oncology, endocrinology and general medicine
• A new acute mental health IPU
• A psychiatric emergency care centre for emergency and crisis response adjacent to the emergency department
• An expanded acute stroke unit collocated with a dedicated rehabilitation service to ensure early access to rehabilitation and minimise functional loss
• A new nuclear medicine department to support expanded clinical services including cancer, cardiology and respiratory care
• A new MRI service to provide improved diagnostic capacity
• Expanded medical imaging including CT, X-ray, ultrasound and mammography to support clinical services
• Significant increase in aged care capacity in a dedicated acute aged care ward
• A sub-acute geriatric evaluation and management service
• A dedicated palliative care facility
• A new paediatric assessment unit which will provide additional capacity for day presentations and short stay admissions
• A specialist rehabilitation unit for a range of conditions including stroke, orthopaedics, brain and spine injuries
• Expanded outpatient departments for follow up and management of admitted and non-admitted services
• Helipad on top of the new building with direct access to ICU and ED.

Consultation with clinicians occured during the preparation of a Clinical Services Plan and subsequent Master Plan which outlined the challenges and opportunities in the current hospital system and what could be done to address the issues. The new and expanded hospital will meet the needs of the Shoalhaven region both now and into the future. 

The new building will be seven storeys. It has been designed in a way that it will step up towards the north of the site, in order to ensure a lower scale building adjacent to the park.

The new building will allow for parkland and more landscaped areas around the Blackbutt Tree.

In 2022 the team will continue to work on and refine the design of the new building and refurbishment.  The relocation and building of the preschool will commence in 2022. Planning approval for the main project will be sought in mid-2022.
Following planning approval, construction will commence in 2023 with the intention for the new hospital to be completed and operational in mid-2026.
Throughout the entire process, there will be continued opportunities for community and stakeholder consultation.

The new hospital will be a sustainable and environmentally friendly facility with more efficient building systems and renewable energy strategies.

A broad range of initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will be introduced. The design will reduce energy consumption and will include plenty of natural light, access to outdoor courtyards and spaces to relax and socialise.

Examples of the project’s sustainability initiatives include:

 

• Prioritising northern orientation to optimise solar control in summer and winter

•  Providing solar panels on available roof space

• Minimising the need for use of fossil fuels in powering the hospital by using electrical heating instead of gas heating.

Health Infrastructure, in conjunction with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District is managing the project on behalf of the NSW Government.

Yes. All health services will remain operational during the construction period. There may be changes to how people access the campus and health facilities during construction, however all services will remain open. Many services will be transferred to the new building after construction is completed.

Presently there around 690 parking spaces on site. 
Shoalhaven Hospital is already a paid parking facility. Car parking fees will continue to be implemeted in line with NSW Health policies. Concession rates are avilable for eligible patients and their carers who require regular or long-term hospitalisation and/or treatment in all public hospital car parks in NSW. 

For more information on concession parking, you can visit www.parking.health.nsw.gov.au. 

One of the key objectives of the redevelopment is to provide culturally appropriate facilities to meet the needs of the First Nations people. With this in mind, the landscape and First Nations people’s connection to Country is of prime importance and by providing a strong connection with the natural environment and cultural identity this protects the health and wellbeing of Country and by extension all the community.

We are working closely with the local Indigenous community. In December 2021 we held a Walk on Country followed by a Design Jam workshop and we will be sharing the feedback report with the community. The suggestions and ideas which came out of the workshop will be considered in the landscaping and building plans.

There will be other opportunities for community and stakeholder engagement, including specific sessions for the Indigenous community.

No. The Blacbutt Tree will remain in place and will be a focal point of our landscaping designs. 

To accommodate the new hospital building the preschool will be relocated to the southern end of the Hospital campus. This follows extensive consultation with the preschool operators and Shoalhaven City Council. The project team is continuing to consult with the preschool on the design and requirements of the new facility.  

The new building will include a dedicated parking zone for carers and staff, including a drop-off zone. In addition to the new preschool, the southern end of the campus will also be retained as greenspace – enhancing the area’s family-friendly atmosphere.

Construction is scheduled to commence this year and the current preschool will remain open until the new preschool is completed.

Staff and community members are invited to email ideas, suggestions and feedback for the Shoalhaven Hospital to HI-shoalhavenredevelopment@health.nsw.gov.au.