A new Clinical Education Centre will open at the Sydney Adventist Hospital (SAN) in November as part of the second stage of the hospital’s $200 million redevelopment project.
The $19.5 million state and federal government funded education facility will address the national health education shortfall by providing clinical training and services to doctors and nurses.
A shortage of 109,000 nurses and 2700 doctors Australia-wide by 2025 is estimated according to a report published by Health Workforce Australia last year.
“The Education Centre recognises the fact that a growing number of Australians are cared for in private hospitals and a growing number of clinicians are employed in the private sector,” Professor Bruce Robinson, Dean of University of Sydney Medical School, said.
By 2016, the centre will provide over 20,000 medical student training days, 9140 nursing student training days and 2760 training days for allied health professionals.
Purpose built facilities for health education, including two auditoriums, a library, a simulation centre, an anaesthetic bay and lecture rooms, will be built in addition to the current facilities provided in the current hospital clinical and nursing schools.
Further expansion of the San’s services and facilities including 200 new beds, 12 additional operating theatres, a new cancer centre, a maternity ward and a women’s health clinic, are due to be completed in mid-2014.
However, just over half of the $20 million needed to fund the integrated cancer facility has been received by the hospital through private donations.
“The [cancer] centre will provide diagnostic services, treatment services, and medical treatment such as chemo,” said Leisa O’Connor, a spokesperson for the San.
The first stage of the redevelopment; the 896 space multi-deck car park which opened in June this year, will increase the number of car parking spaces to 1900 upon the redevelopment’s completion mid next year.
By Amelia Zhou
