Ending years of speculation about the future of Katoomba Hospital, the NSW Labor Opposition has committed to kick starting the planning process for a new hospital in the Upper Blue Mountains while making urgent repairs and improvements at the existing facility which has fallen into appalling disrepair after 12 years of neglect by the Liberal State Government.

Making the announcement alongside Shadow Minister for Health, Ryan Park, the Labor Member for Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle, explained that the problems at Katoomba Hospital were two-fold, and needed a coordinated response to deal with the immediate problems while paving a way for long-term renewal of health infrastructure in the Upper Mountains. 

"We have an appalling situation in which the NSW Government has allowed our hospital to fall into a state of disrepair, with leaking roofs and areas of the hospital closed off and effectively condemned," she said.

"At the same time, with massive population and demographic change over the past ten or twelve years, the clinical services plan for Katoomba Hospital is in need of renewal on a clean sheet of paper. We need to start planning a new facility that is fit for purpose and will serve our community into the future", she added. 

Katoomba Hospital has been the focus of a concerted community campaign bringing together a wide variety of local activists, often from across the political spectrum. Visits facilitated by Ms Doyle to the hospital in recent months include the outgoing Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, Shadow Minister for Health, Ryan Park, and Opposition Leader Chris Minns, who each met with local hospital workers and passionate local residents.

“Having had the opportunity to see first-hand the current state of the hospital I knew it was vital to get this important planning process underway.” Mr Park said  

The commitment by Labor for $25 million over the next four years will deliver:

- Funding for the planning of facility redevelopment to take place within the next 12 months as part of a comprehensive refresh and review of the Clinical Services Plan at both Katoomba and Springwood Hospitals.

- Essential infrastructure works to replace the roof and repair dilapidated areas of Blue Mountains Hospital and deliver the following additional upgrades in the meantime:

- An upgrade of BMDAMH’s imaging department

- An upgrade of the Emergency Department, including associated equipment, medical and nursing staff at specified levels

- Funding for an Ambulatory Care Unit, Infusion and Chemotherapy Services, Endoscopic Suite, expanded Palliative care, Cardiology, Neurology and Haemodialysis services

“I want to particularly thank Trish Doyle for her unwavering advocacy on behalf of her local community as well as the many health care workers and community members who have spoken to me about this much loved local health facility.” Mr Park said  

"This funding will do two things. It sets in motion a plan for the future while addressing the drastic unmet needs of the present day," Ms Doyle said.