Last week's historic health and hospital reform is already delivering more services and additional beds to families in Sydney's west at Blacktown Hospital.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and NSW Premier Kristina Keneally today announced an additional 18 new hospital beds would be opened at Blacktown Hospital from early July.
Last week, the Prime Minister and Ms Keneally agreed at COAG to additional funding for NSW totalling $1.7 billion over four years to implement health and hospital reforms across the State.
The announcement of new beds was made at Blacktown Hospital's 45th Anniversary celebrations.
Blacktown Hospital has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a 44-bed hospital in 1965 to a facility with more than 350 beds.
Last year alone, 3,261 babies were born there and more than 35,000 people were treated in the Emergency Department. In addition, almost 8,000 surgical procedures were undertaken and more than 200,000 outpatient services were provided.
The 18 new beds build on the State Government's investments in Blacktown Hospital, which include:
* Completion of a new Cardiac Catheter Laboratory that will treat more than 1500 patients and enable the people of Blacktown and its surrounding areas to receive cardiac services locally; and
* A new CT scanner for Blacktown Hospital, which will help ensure imaging services at the hospital remain at the forefront of technology.
In addition, the Australian Government has committed $17.6 million to expand the University of Western Sydney's Clinical School. This includes $13.1 million towards research laboratories, a learning and resources centre and an auditorium, and $4.5 million to expand the clinical skills simulation centre.
Construction began on the 4 January 2010 and is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
The new scanner, the completion of the new Cardiac Catheter, and the new Clinical School ensure the people of Blacktown are getting the best quality of treatment services close to home.
The Clinical School and Research and Education Centre will soon mean young people aspiring to be doctors or other health professionals will have more opportunity to study and work in Western Sydney
The Blacktown Hospital campus provides the following services:
* Emergency Medical Care
* Maternity
* Special Care for newborn babies
* Cardiac Rehabilitation
* Coronary Care
* Intensive Care
* Planned and emergency surgery
* General Medicine
* Renal Dialysis
* Diabetes Education and Therapy
* Imaging Services for inpatients and outpatients
* Blacktown Community Health Centre
* Dental Health
* Mental Health.