A long wish list of medical services for the next 15 years puts a new hospital for the Blue Mountains as the top priority.
Current clinicians in the hospital have worked for months with the local health district assessing the future needs of Mountains residents.
Dr Stavros Prineas, chairman of the Blue Mountains and Springwood Medical Staff Council, said "the overriding message should be we need a new hospital".
At the same time, there is also a lengthy list of other needs, many of which will cater to the ageing population in the Mountains, which already has one of the highest proportion of older people.
The list includes:
- Doubling the number of acute medical and surgical bed
- Advance services from level three to level four which would allow for more complex treatments such as non-invasive ventilation for pneumonia patients
- Maternity to be upgraded to allow women to come in at 34 weeks pregnancy, rather than the current 37 weeks.
- Increase the rehabilitation services, including being able to offer rehab in the home.
- Acquiring an MRI machine for imaging.
- Better provision for on-site accommodation generally, for staff, patients, families and students.
- A larger emergency department.
- More out-patient services including administering chemotherapy and other infusions.
- Increase the number of operating theatres from two to five to enable procedures such as joint replacements and appendectomies to be performed.
Dr Prineas also said the staff are hoping local businesses may come on board.
"We want an active campaign with locals to see how we can attract and retain clinical staff in the Mountains. We need to get creative with businesses and the community to entice not just doctors but their spouses and families."
He said this might include businesses offering discounts or benefits to people who work at the hospital.
The clinicians are keen to find out how much of the $25 million promised in the last state budget could be used to improve or add some services in the short term.
"A number of these things can't wait for a new hospital - they need to have happened yesterday. [Of the $25m] "some will be for planning, some for the roof but what services on that wish list can we have before the ribbon gets cut on a new hospital?"
Dr Prineas congratulated the CEO of the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Lee Gregory, for the collaborative process of creating the clinical services plan.
Blue Mountains MP, Trish Doyle, told the Gazette: "As I have done for years, working alongside the Medical Staff Council, the Nurses and Midwives Association, the auxiliary and our community is absolutely necessary for understanding the needs for our hospital and local community - now and into the future.
"Many of the commitments made by me and the Minister for Health are included on that extensive list Dr Prineas refers to - for service extension and enhancement right now,
"I'm excited to see the review of our clinical services plan concluded and driven by local doctors, as part of planning a new build.
"I'm also looking forward to welcoming the Minister, Ryan Park, to Katoomba and Springwood soon to discuss those priorities with our local health team."
