Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick has given patient families and staff an exclusive look at the new 12-storey Bilima Building, before it officially opens to the public in November.

Hundreds of visitors were given special access to the new facility on Saturday 25 October for an early look at some of the building’s new state-of-the-art spaces, including the new Children’s Emergency Department. 

Children’s Emergency Department will relocate to Level B1 of the new building on November 18, with access via Botany Road.

Attendees were also treated to a glimpse of a new inpatient unit, including the large, single patient rooms, all fitted with a carer’s bed and ensuite.

Budding scientists headed to the new public lab, where they were shown how to extract DNA from strawberries by staff from the Children’s Cancer Institute, while the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation, in partnership with the Randwick Health and Innovation Precinct, hosted a creative workshop for young artists.

The Starlight Foundation offered face-painting with dazzling designs from butterflies to superheroes. Meanwhile, just across the courtyard at our neighbour UNSW’s new Health Translation Hub, visitors explored immersive virtual reality experiences.

The young and young at heart also put the new playground through its paces.

Commenting on the event, Sydney Children Hospitals Network Chief Executive, Cathryn Cox PSM said, “I’m delighted our hospital community was given the fantastic opportunity to see first-hand the completion of this new building which will support families right across the state.”

“The new building has been designed with the needs of families in mind, and includes more single-patient rooms and play areas to provide a welcoming environment and promote healing.”

The new building includes: 

• A new virtual care centre and hospital command centre, known as Kids HQ
• A new and enhanced children’s intensive care unit
• A new medical short stay unit
• Co-located laboratories to support the Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre’s research, education and training
• A new neurosciences centre
• Inpatient units for medical, surgical and sleep studies
• A day oncology centre and inpatient units, along with a dedicated bone marrow transplant unit
• A new children’s hospital pharmacy
• Indoor and outdoor recreational spaces for families to take a break from clinical settings
• Education, training and clinical simulation spaces
• New playground and pet visiting space