A proposed Public-Private Partnership at Bowral and District Hospital will not go ahead, health minister Brad Hazzard has announced.

With privatisation off the cards, redevelopment works planned for the hospital can now begin. Mr Hazzard said the $50 million upgrade project for the hospital would start this year.

Mr Hazzard told the Southern Highland News he was confident the decision was in the community’s best interest.

“I’ve weighed up all issues and listened to medical experts and have decided this is the right decision for this community,” he said.

“It will produce positive outcomes.”

The minister for health and medical research said the project would be government-led and delivered.

He said it would ensure excellent health care for the Southern Highlands well into the future.

“This $50 million investment for Bowral Hospital is part of a record $550 million health infrastructure boom for country NSW, transforming regional and rural health care and generating thousands of local jobs,” he said.

In a June visit to Bowral, Premier Gladys Berejiklian acknowledged the hospital was a key concern of Highlanders.

She assured residents accessibility and affordability would not be compromised as part of the hospital’s redevelopment.

The possibility of a PPP has been a hot topic since September 2016 and has drawn significant public interest.

Concerned residents formed an action group – Public Health First – to lobby the government for answers about the future of the hospital and seek greater community consultation.

Mr Hazzard said Wollondilly MP Jai Rowell and Goulburn MP Pru Goward had both brought forward community concerns to him.

“Both MPs have been well and truly in my ear about issues various members of the community had, and sat in my office with people they’d brought in to see me to hear those issues,” he said.

The redevelopment of Bowral and District Hospital will include new operating theatres, adult and paediatric inpatient wards, birthing suites, more single rooms with ensuites, new rehabilitation spaces and a new hospital entrance.

Mr Rowell said the decision was a major win for the community. Now that the hospital is staying in public hands, there is nothing stopping the commencement of the $50 million upgrade,” he said.

“I’ve said from the start if a PPP didn’t make sense to the Southern Highlands and my electorate, and we couldn’t get the best deal then it wouldn’t have my support.”

“I’ve made it very clear to the [health] minister – and so has the community – and the Premier heard it loud and clear during her visit that there were real concerns it wasn’t going to be the best option,” Mr Rowell said.

Although much of the community will be pleased to see works begin on the upgrade at Bowral and District Hospital, several community members – including Public Health First representatives and Cr Graham McLaughlin – have previously questioned whether the allocated $50 million would cover the extent of works needed.

Mr Rowell said he would lobby the government for a second stage of funding. “It’s no different to what I did with Campbelltown Hospital, which was announced initial funds and lobbied for more. And that was just achieved with $632 million for the hospital in the state budget.”

Mr Hazzard’s office said the clinical services plan and other planning would be finalised in the next few months and enabling works were due to commence late this year.

Visit www.swslhd.nsw.gov.au/bowral/redevelopment.html for more on the redevelopment.