September 8, 2020

University welcomes Shellharbour Hospital announcement

Health and wellbeing key to community’s future

The University of Wollongong (UOW) welcomes the commitment of an additional $320 million announced by the NSW Government today (Tuesday 8 September, 2020) for a new, world-class hospital for Shellharbour and the surrounding region.

The commitment to construct an entirely new facility on a green field site is particularly welcomed by UOW, as it not only increases opportunities to attract world-class clinicians but also better enables the facility to address the region’s forecast future growth, changing demographics and changing health needs.

UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings CBE, described the announcement as a well-timed catalyst for positive change for the region.

“UOW has long considered the health and wellbeing of our community to be vital to its future development and gladly welcomes the announcement of this increased funding commitment by the NSW Government.

“Having a newly built, world-class medical facility in proximity to a world-class university that is developing the next generation of health care professionals while undertaking ground breaking medical research can be a catalyst for positive change for our region and beyond.

“This significant investment by the government gives opportunities for health workforce development, increased health translational research and improved patient-centred care by partnership with ISLHD and UOW.

“This commitment is also well timed as I prepare to handover the reigns of UOW next year to one of the world’s leading nursing academics as the University continues its growth in the health and medicine fields and its closer cooperation with the region’s clinical communities,” Professor Wellings said.

UOW has had the region’s health and wellbeing at the heart of its long-term vision for many years with its medicine and nursing schools and the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI) in partnership with the local health district.

The University’s commitment to the health needs of our region and beyond has been more recently crystallised in its Health and Wellbeing Strategy, led by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Health and Communities) Professor Alison Jones, which has already seen the construction of Molecular Horizons - UOW’s world-leading molecular life sciences research facility - the Mind the Gap mental health services facility in the Shoalhaven and preparations underway to establish a Health and Wellbeing Precinct at its North Wollongong Innovation Campus, together with key partners.