A new building providing expanded critical and acute healthcare services for babies and children has reached full height at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.  

The 14-storey Paediatric Services Building (PSB) will include cancer services, a statewide burns service, surgical short-stay and intensive care units – co-locating treatment for patients like Maddison.  

The three-and-a-half-year-old was born with one lung and kidney and her heart on the opposite side of her chest.

Three days before her first birthday, Maddison required major airway reconstructive surgery and spent six months in Westmead’s intensive care unit.

Her mum, Samantha, said the new building’s majority single-patient bedrooms will be a game changer for families like theirs.

"It would make it more of a home environment for everyone. When you're in the hospital for an extended period, everyone becomes family...and it became home for six months," said Maddison’s mum, Samantha.

"I think the impact for parents would be that you are there to comfort your child and there's more support and care for the patients."

The construction milestone brings Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN) closer to expanding critical services for all families across New South Wales.

An official topping-out ceremony was held this month to mark the occasion, with guests including Minister for Health Ryan Park and Member for Parramatta Donna Davis.

Keeping with a long-held construction tradition, a native tree was lowered onto the highest point of the building.

“The construction of the new hospital building and the significant investments to enhance existing health services will ensure CHW continues providing world-class facilities for children and their families from all over NSW, as well as clinicians and researchers,” said Minister Park.

“These new, cutting-edge facilities across the hospital will set a new standard nationally and globally for paediatric healthcare.”  

Once complete, the building will include:   

• A new and enhanced Neonatal Intensive Care Unit    
• A new and enhanced Paediatric Intensive Care Unit  
• Cancer services including a new day oncology treatment centre and inpatient units 
• A new perioperative unit containing operating theatres, cardiac catheterisation labs and interventional laboratory    
• Statewide service for burns, inclusive of inpatient and outpatient facilities   
• A new pharmacy and oncology pharmacy    
• A new Surgical Short Stay and additional inpatient units  

Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network Chief Executive Cathryn Cox PSM said the redevelopment project will provide the Network’s “leading healthcare and research professionals with access to modern healthcare facilities, technology and equipment”.

“The redevelopment is creating contemporary facilities to revolutionise frontline medicine while fostering improved healthcare outcomes for children across the country to live their healthiest lives,” Ms Cox said.

The stage 2 redevelopment also includes a new multi-storey car park, a revitalised forecourt, new retail offerings, an Aboriginal Gathering Space, three new playgrounds, a pet park, and refurbishment of existing spaces within the hospital.  

The project is being delivered by Health Infrastructure in partnership with SCHN, with Roberts Co as the principal contractor.  

Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation has made significant philanthropic contributions to support the project.

For more information, visit the project website here.