Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital

Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital is a hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Palmerston Road in Hornsby. It is a teaching hospital of the University of Sydney.

As a provider of care since 1933, the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital is a major metropolitan hospital, and is a teaching hospital of the University of Sydney. Staff members who care for over a quarter of a million people living in the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai area. The Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Health Service also incorporates six Community Health Centres and ten Early Childhood Centres.

Recent changes in NSW State government has meant that the hospital is now under the control of the Northern Sydney Local Health District. It was previously part of the Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service.

While much of the hospital is of a ramshackle design, the main building is a two storey circular design (named Lumby building for its benefactor), which forms the emblem of the hospital.

The Emergency, Paediatrics and Maternity building was opened in late 2006. It is called the HOPE Building (Hospital's Obstetrics, Paediatrics, & Emergency) and now also houses an emergency Mental Health Unit the PECC.

In late 2013 the Mental Health Centre building was opened.

On the 5 September 2015, the STAR Building (Surgical, Theatres, Anesthetic, Recovery) was officially opened by NSW Minister for Health Jillian Skinner.^[1]

The hospital is currently under stress as senior medical staff declare that the physical infrastructure is not compatible with modern healthcare.

Much of the hospital has been left to deteriorate structurally because of decades of indecision regarding its future. Only more recent response, after outcry over publicly released photographs of possums in ICU and the state the hospital wards and many clinical areas of the hospital, by senior medical staff still frustrated nothing had changed, spurred action by the Minister and Health Department to patch up the worst areas.

The hospital is currently undergoing major building works. A new Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) has been created from the renovated remains of the old Emergency Department. The Social Work department now has new offices opposite the Fresh Plus Cafe. Major construction of new Mental Health and Drug, Alcohol & Gambling Services buildings including a Mental Health ICU have significantly improved care provision in the area. The old maternity building along with much of the campus is due to be redeveloped.

Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital was featured in episodes of the TV series Sons and Daughters in 1984 when character Gordon Hamilton was treated for a heart attack there.

It was also used frequently to film episodes of the Australian medical drama series All Saints where the historic lions outside the, soon to be demolished, "old" maternity building were featured.

Supplementary facilities

Many houses in the surrounding streets, especially in Palmerston Road, have been converted to medical practices, such as ophthalmology, ear nose and throat, and other specialists. There is also a child-care establishment, and cafe.

See also

• List of hospitals in Australia

Notes

References

• SMH Article 4 Nov 2011
• Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association article
• Hills News Sept 7, 2011
• Member for Hornsby 5 Dec 2011

External links

Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital - actual official link (by zPiotrW)