AMA (NSW) welcomes Coalition’s Westmead upgrade pledge

AMA (NSW) President, Dr Saxon Smith, welcomes the Coalition’s election pledge of nearly $1 billion for Westmead Hospital.

“I am delighted that the State Government has been listening to what the AMA has had to say on the need to update Westmead Hospital.

“We’ve been saying it’s a billion dollar project and the Government’s promise is closely in line with that figure,” Dr Smith said.

“Doctors working at Westmead are doing some of the most complicated medical procedures in the country but they are working in facilities that, in most cases, are more than 35 years old.

“They do amazing work and excellent medical staff are very good at making up for ageing infrastructure but it’s a hospital desperately in need of upgrades and redevelopment.

“Especially considering the levels of demand being seen by hospitals in NSW and, in particular, Western Sydney,” Dr Smith said.

“It’s already well-known Western Sydney is underserved when it comes to health services, compared to other parts of the city.

“The fact Westmead Hospital will be 37 years old this year and there hasn’t been a major upgrade like the one the Government is promising in all that time is just one example of this.

“Not to mention the lower number of GPs and hospital beds in proportion to the population.

“With the rapid growth of Western Sydney, demand for high quality medical services is only going to increase.

“The area needs its biggest teaching hospital to be a product of the 21st Century instead of the 1970s,” Dr Smith said.

“Aside from modernisation of the hospital, the upgrade should also be focussed on providing a safe level of bed occupancy.

“The target of 85 per cent bed occupancy at 5pm to allow for overnight emergency admissions is something I am glad the Government is committed to and this would be a prime opportunity to make headway towards that.

“Improving capacity of the hospital would help with a range of issues, including waiting and treatment times in the emergency department.

“This isn’t just true of Westmead but every hospital in NSW,” Dr Smith said.

Media contact: Lachlan Jones (02) 9902 8113 / 0419 402 955