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$835 million John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct reaches highest point of construction

A major milestone has been reached in the delivery of the John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct, with construction of the new acute services building reaching its highest point. 

A traditional ‘topping out’ event was held to celebrate the milestone. 

The NSW Government is investing $835 million in the Precinct to increase the capacity, providing essential healthcare services to Newcastle, the greater Hunter region and northern NSW communities.  

The new, acute services building will deliver a 60% increase in intensive care unit (ICU) capacity and almost 50% more theatres, providing access to cutting-edge health care services, now and into the future. 

Concrete has been poured for all levels of the new hospital building, which will include four basement level carparks, seven levels of clinical space and two rooftop helipads.  

To date, there have been more than 70 trades involved supporting construction and an average of 700 workers on site each day. Over the course of the project around 1,500 direct jobs will be created, with the potential to support thousands of indirect jobs. 

The new clinical service building will deliver: 

  • An emergency department to meet a projected future demand of more than 95,000 presentations each year  

  • Increasing capacity of the ICU by 60%, allowing for future expansion  

  • 22 operating theatres and 9 interventional suites to respond to significantly increasing demand  

  • Birthing suites and an inpatient maternity unit 

  • Neonatal intensive care unit and special care nursery 

  • Rooftop helipad 

  • More than 900 additional car spaces on the campus for patients, staff, and visitors.   

The new acute services building is scheduled for completion in 2026. 

The John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct is being delivered by Hunter New England Local Health District and Health Infrastructure, with Multiplex as the principal building contractor.  

For more information, visit the project page.

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