THE NSW Liberal Party has committed to building 220 extra car parking spaces at Shoalhaven Hospital if re-elected on March 28.
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Health Minister Jillian Skinner was in Nowra on Tuesday to announce what would likely be an $8 million multi-storey car park.
She said the facility would be designed with future growth in mind.
“I hear from staff and Gareth Ward and Shelley Hancock about the need for car parking here all the time,” she said.
“Every time we talk to patients, their families and staff, it’s car parking nearly always comes up as the top issue.”
Mrs Skinner said the finer details of whether it would be a multi-storey car park, free parking or paid parking would only be revealed following a scoping study.
The state government built 124 additional spaces in 2012, which temporarily eased pressure on the demand for parking.
However, for many years before that and in the past few years as the parking demand increased, the government’s catchcry over why it would not fund more spaces was that it came down to a choice between car parking or more beds in the hospital.
When asked why the government had apparently changed its line, Mrs Skinner said it was not a trade-off.
Asked if Shoalhaven Hospital would now miss out on $8 million in beds she said no.
“We look at things very differently now anyway. In fact, we have increased the bed base across the state but when you look at new models of care and new ways patients are treated, frequently they’re treated as outpatients or day surgery patients,” Mrs Skinner said.
“So they don’t actually spend a whole lot of time in an inpatient bed. “This is no trade-off, [car parking is] an essential element when you are providing upgraded health services to people.”
When asked why it wasn’t essential over the last few years, Mrs Skinner pointed out the 127 parking spaces built three years ago.
“Now we’re getting on with the job of building the additional required spaces,” she said.
South Coast MP Shelley Hancock and Kiama MP Gareth Ward were also at the hospital for the announcement.
Mrs Hancock said parking had been an issue since before she had been a member here for 12 years.
“It’s a burning local issue. When this hospital was redeveloped there were no provisions for car parking at all,” she said.
Mr Ward said it was not acceptable that hospital staff, visitors and patients should walk through dark streets to return to their cars during the change of shift or a visit at night.
“This is a great investment,” he said.