GOULBURN Base Hospital will have a new emergency department, surgeries and intensive care unit, among other improvements under proposals for a major upgrade.
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The Southern NSW Health District announced yesterday that a business case to support the facility's $120 million upgrade had been finalised.
Chief executive Janet Compton said the document was the result of two years' "extensive and detailed planning" as well as ongoing consultation with staff and the wider community.
It is supported by 1900 pages of plans and documents examining hospital redevelopment options.
The clinical services identified as priorities include: Emergency Department including main entry and hospital reception; Intensive Care Unit; perioperative, theatres, day surgery unit, recovery, pre-admission; medical imaging; medical, surgical and paediatric inpatient units; and maternity and birthing.
The Health District announced in December that a new building would be constructed on the north-eastern corner of Goldsmith and Faithfull streets.
It would house the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, theatres and in-patient accommodation and will be supported by fit-for-purpose infrastructure to enable comprehensive ambulatory care services.
Ms Compton said one of the SNSWHD's main objectives was to ensure the business case complemented a clinical services plan completed last year.
"A key recommendation of the plan was the need to reconfigure the way future health services were delivered to meet the growing demand in the Goulburn region, particularly for the ageing population," she said.
"...The proposed changes to Goulburn Hospital including the redevelopment of physical infrastructure seeking to ensure a contemporary healthcare system, which achieves better outcomes for patients. We are aiming to introduce enhanced models of care for inpatients as well as home and clinic-based services to promote hospital avoidance and reduce readmission rates.
"The redevelopment will also assist in the implementation of models of care to provide the community with improved health services so they do not have to leave Goulburn for non-tertiary hospital level of treatment."
But the document has been deemed commercial in confidence and won't be released to the public. A spokesman said this was because it contained detailed plans and costings.
Planning for the final business case was coordinated by Health Infrastructure, which manages the planning, design and delivery of health infrastructure capital works for the State Government.
"SNSWLHD and Health Infrastructure will jointly embark on a wide consultation process from this week to outline and discuss the Goulburn Hospital and health service redevelopment process with interested community groups, organisations, schools and residents in the Goulburn region," Ms Compton said.
