The $8 million Yass Hospital redevelopment can begin now that the project tender has been awarded to Richard Crookes Constructions.
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Work will commence in February and is expected to finish in May 2020. The hospital will remain operational throughout, however, some services may be moved to temporary locations. Any changes will be communicated to the public.
The redevelopment will improve the hospital’s infrastructure and increase its capacity to treat patients.
It includes one new bed in the emergency department, a palliative care suite with an adjoining lounge, a centralised nurses station, a dedicated ambulance entry, on-site accommodation for visiting clinicians and security upgrades.
The first phase of work will prioritise the accommodation and security upgrades.
Richard Crookes Constructions is a family-owned company based in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and has previous experience with hospital developments.
The construction company has said it will have someone onsite, 24/7, once the work begins.
“Richard Crookes Construction will bring extensive professional experience to the build, having completed other related projects at Parkes Hospital, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital, Tamworth Hospital and Narrabri Hospital,” Yass Hospital Community Consultative Committee chair, Jill McGovern, said.
“I welcome the imminent commencement of construction to satisfy the needs of our growing population and increasing demand for health services,” she said.
Redevelopments to hospitals at Tumut, Braidwood and Goulburn are also underway, Ms McGovern said.
The Yass Hospital redevelopment is part of the NSW government’s $300 million Multipurpose Services (MPS) Program and was Member for Goulburn Pru Goward’s 2015 election promise.
“This is a significant milestone,” Ms Goward said.
Despite the money coming from an MPS program, Yass Hospital will not be changing to an MPS.
However, locals Bec Duncan and councillor Jasmin Jones, acting as a private citizen, believe Yass Hospital needs more services than the redevelopment is offering.
They say the money being spent is too little, too late.
“This was promised four years ago,” Ms Duncan said. “Our population has ballooned, and not one sod has been turned until, oh wait, another election!”
The NSW state government election has been scheduled for March 23.
The Yass Valley’s population was 16,142 in 2016, according to the Census, and is expected to be 18,436 by 2021 (plus 2,294), according to the Yass Valley’s Settlement Strategy.
The ‘new Yass Hospital and maternity’ working group, which Ms Duncan and Jones are behind, has invited the NSW Premier and Health Minister to visit Yass to hear from the community about the services it wants.
“The cogs of politics and tax-payers money have turned painfully slowly for Yass Valley with no work achieved since the announcement of funding years ago,” Ms Jones said as a private citizen.
“It’s a dismal track record on delivery for the government and a red flag for all candidates in the upcoming state election to take heed – Yass Valley’s population growth and health needs are outpacing the trickle of dollars we receive to keep the current hospital relevant for our current 18,000 residents.”
Ms Jones said there is still no surgery, blood product storage, CT scanner, dialysis, chemotherapy or maternity, despite the $8 million being spent on the Yass Hospital development.
“Any improvement is of course, very welcome, but the next spend needs to be a quantum leap and no further dollars should be spent on Yass Hospital until a commitment is made to plan and build a $100 million new Yass Hospital with maternity,” she said.
The Southern NSW Local Health District has been contacted for comment. More information as it comes to hand.
