Construction on the new Shellharbour Hospital has begun, marked by an official sod turning ceremony nearly a decade after the hospital redevelopment was announced. 

During the 2015 election campaign, the NSW Government promised $251 towards the redevelopment of the Shellharbour Hospital. 

Jillian Skinner, former NSW Health Minister quietly announced in 2016 that five major hospitals will be redeveloped under public-private partnerships, including Shellharbour Hospital. 

The idea was scrapped the following year after union rallies broke out and a petition with over 12,000 signatories was tabled in Parliament by Member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson.

In May, Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward scolded Labor for failing to include the construction of a helipad and lack of a dedicated maternity ward, calling both an oversight on critical care for the Illawarra community.

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park stated that the $700 million hospital will be designed with a helipad in mind for future construction, not as a part of the original build.

Kiama MP Gareth Ward has again criticised the decision, calling for the helipad to be built now rather than retrofitted later.

“Rather than posing for photo opps, NSW Labor need to explain why the existing Shellharbour Hospital has a helipad and a brand-new hospital will not. This is just madness.”

Ward condemned the Labor government for “politicising” the hospital project, stating Labor are taking credit off the former Coalition government. 

“Let me be very clear, in Cabinet I fought for and secured $720 million for Shellharbour Hospital,” Ward says, “Labor turned a second sod, took a photo and took all the credit.”

Ward has also called out Illawarra Labor for his and re-elected Mayor of Shellharbour, Chris Homer's, lack of invitation to the event.

“It’s one thing to ignore me, but to ignore Mayor Homer who was overwhelmingly re-elected just days ago smacks of political games by Illawarra Labor who are desperate to look like they have delivered something. They haven’t.”

It is expected the construction of the hospital will generate around 800 jobs in the Illawarra region.

Additional services and upgrades to expect include; emergency department expansion, increased surgical capacity, rehabilitation and aged care facilities, mental health services, renal dialysis, outpatient services, improved parking and public transport connections. 

“[The hospital] will cater for local population growth into the future and relieve pressure on other parts of the Illawarra Shoalhaven health network, including Wollongong Hospital,” Park says. 

Park says there will be no delays to the completion of the hospital, despite a lengthy tender process resulting in BESIX Watpac being chosen as head contractor in August of this year.

The Shellharbour Hospital construction is expected to be completed in 2027.  

The project is a part of the wider Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services Project which includes expanded sub-acute services, meaning more than basic at-home care but less than hospital intervention, new rehabilitation and palliative care beds at Wollongong Hospital and a new community health centre in Warrawong.