The sod has officially been turned on the John Hunter Hospital’s new Health and Innovation Precinct.
The state’s Health Minister Brad Hazzard was in town on Tuesday morning to mark the occasion and boast the government’s $835 million spend.
The Acute Services Building is the first part of the project to be constructed, set to expand the hospitals intensive care capacity by 60 per cent, and almost 50 per cent.
Mr Hazzard says the precinct will be a centre of excellence, attracting the most skilled and experienced clinicians to work in outstanding facilities, ultimately improving health outcomes for local patients.
“The new Acute Services Building will provide a 60 per cent increase in Intensive Care Unit capacity and an almost 50 per cent increase in theatre capacity. Treatment spaces in the new emergency department will jump by almost 40 per cent,” Mr Hazzard said.
Once the entire precinct is complete it will include a new emergency department, birthing suite and inpatient maternity unit, neonatal intensive care unit, a rooftop helipad, 900 car spaces and operating theatres.
The project is scheduled for completion in 2026.