The hospital’s $50 million redevelopment officially began in December, but Public Health First (PHF) said the works would not deliver an adequate number of beds. 

However, a hospital spokesperson said the upgrades would deliver modern facilities and anticipated that time patients spent in hospital would decrease. 

Health Infrastructure submitted the first stage of the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to the Department of Planning and Environment for the redevlopment in December and PHF raised concerns the hospital was “shrinking”. 

“It will deliver far less than the community has been led to expect by the successive clinical services plans published by South West Sydney Local Health District, the Ministry of Health and the announcements by the Minister for Heath, Brad Hazzard,” a PHF spokesperson said. 

The November 2017 Amended Clinical Services Plan projected the need for 109 beds by 2021 including 13 emergency beds, the same plan projected 121 beds and eight Renal Dialysis chairs by 2026, and 133 beds and nine Renal Dialysis chairs by 2031.

PHF members said the SSDA stated 91 beds now existed at the Hospital, but proposed to build only 73 beds, of which 10 were ‘new sub-acute beds’.

“In other words, the plan would replace only 63 of the current 91 beds, but add 10 “new” beds in Sub-Acute,” the spokesperson said. 

In response to the claims, a Bowral and District Hospital spokesperson told the Southern Highland News that “the hospital currently has 91 beds and the Clinical Services Plan (CSP) has informed some aspects of the redevelopment.

“This means additional beds will be available and more patients will have access to a range of both inpatient and outpatient health services.”

Public Health First said the SSDA showed a reduction in acute surgical and medical beds, down from the planned 70 to 34.

“[That is] over 50 per cent less than planned for 2021, 57 per cent less by 2026 and 62 per cent less by 2031, unless a future stage is urgently planned, funded, approved and built,” the PHF spokesperson said. 

But Bowral and District Hospital said the new build would meet patient demand in the future years. 

“The design of the new building has also taken into account the future needs of the hospital and will be built with capacity to increase beds and operating capability to service the local community, for example, the new building will have purpose-built areas that can easily be refurbished and utilised for an additional theatre if required in the future.”

At this stage Health Minister, Mr Hazzard’s commitment of a “full satellite dialysis service” has not been written into the SSDA, but the hospital spokesperson said the dialysis unit would be part of the upgrade. 

“The planning and development of the new renal services will occur alongside the redevelopment,” a hospital spokesperson said. 

“We are in the early stages of service planning for the redevelopment, and reviewing capital costs, models of care and staff requirements. Project teams have been established and meetings to plan for the service will commence in February this year.”

PHF members have maintained the redevelopment would not deliver what was promised by Premier Gladys Berijiklian in June, 2017. 

“It is not an acceptable outcome for the Southern Highlands community which was promised by the Premier standing in Bradman Museum on June 6, 2017,” the PHF spokesperson said. 

“The very minimum that this government can now offer is to fund and build the projected 2031 accommodation, 133 beds plus renal dialysis, not the paltry 73 proposed in the state significant development application.” 

At the commencement of the redevelopment in December 2017, Wollondilly MP Jai Rowell said he would continue to fight for more funding. 

“I really look forward over the next 12 months to securing extra money and twisting the government’s arm for further money,” he said.