Planning for the $434 million Shoalhaven District Hospital redevelopment continues but there is no actual time frame on when the work will start.
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Premier Gladys Berejiklian, South Coast MP Shelley Hancock and Kiama MP Gareth Ward announced the redevelopment in November last year but according to Health Infrastructure, the project is still in the planning stage.
When asked about a time frame for work to start, Health Infrastructure would only say it will be in "this term of government".
"It is still in the planning stage and will start in this term of government," the spokesperson said.
"There will be clearer timeframes once the planning is further progressed.
"A clinical services plan is being developed to confirm the range of health care services the new hospital will provide and the size of the facility."
But the government has already announced the redevelopment will include expanded elective surgery; more surgical, acute medical and aged care beds; expanded maternity services; more operating theatres; increased capacity in the Emergency Department; and expansion of outpatient and ambulatory care zones.
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"Detailed analysis will be undertaken and site options developed to inform the optimal solution for the redevelopment to best service the needs of the broader community," the spokesperson said.
"Valuable community and stakeholder engagement will be undertaken during this period to ensure that the analysis is comprehensive.
"Planning such a large development takes a long time to ensure we have opportunities to comprehensively consult with staff and the community."
But at this stage no concept drawings or design ideas are available.
Strange as masterplan concepts for the site were released in June-July last year and showed possible layouts for the precinct.
Meanwhile, parking at Shoalhaven Hospital is also set to be enhanced with a new $11.8 million multi car park project, including a new ground level car park, nearing completion.
Earlier this year longtime Nowra resident Bill Hancock called on the government to scrap the upgrade plans and build a totally new facility on a greenfield site south of Nowra, closer to the city's major growth and older population areas.
In response to South Coast MP Shelley Hancock's survey into the Future of Shoalhaven District Hospital Mr Hancock, who lives adjacent to the ever growing facility, produced a 20-page document proposing a greenfield site on the corner of the Princes Highway/Forest and BTU roads south of Nowra.
Mr Hancock said his plan backs up research in the Emergency Medicine Journal that 80 per cent of population should live within a 20-minute drive or a 20 kilometre radius of a hospital.
"Research shows that mortality rates for people living less than 10km away from a hospital is decidedly lower than those between 10-20km and further than 20km," he said.
"A 20km radius around the current hospital does not take in the growing areas of Vincentia and the Bay and Basin and only parts of Huskisson.
"A relocation to South of Nowra would certainly achieve that goal."
As for the cost, he says when you consider the proposed Shoalhaven Hospital upgrade is worth $434 million, add in the almost $12 million for the new multi-level car park, it wasn't far short of the estimated $500 million to build the new Tweed Hospital on a greenfield site.