New hospital building at Westmead welcomes patients from across the state

New hospital building at Westmead welcomes patients from across the state

28 May 2026

Five adults in smart-casual attire stand smiling in front of the new Wattle building at The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Four women and two men. All of whom wear tailored jackets and outfits of conservative colours (navy, white, black). They hold a wide red ribbon and bow and are smiling.

Doors are officially open to the new Wattle Building at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (CHW), marking a major milestone in the hospital’s $659.1 million transformation.

NSW Premier Chris Minns, Deputy Premier Prue Car and Health Minister Ryan Park visited the 14-storey building today, to meet with staff and families – including parents Georgia and Chris and their three-week old baby Francis. 

A white man with strawberry coloured hair and round dark glasses holds his infant baby in a carrier. He is wearing a forrest green jumper with a zip and collar. Next to him, his wife, the baby's mother, looks on, smiling. She has brown hair in a bun. Hospital equipment is in the background. To the right, NSW Premier Chris Minns smiles at the baby. MP Minns wears a midnight suit and royal blue tie with navy squares on it.
Francis and parents Chris and Georgia, with NSW Premier Chris Minns.

When Georgia was 28 weeks pregnant, she learned that Francis had complex kidney and bladder complications and would require surgery soon after birth.  

“When we first heard the news we felt emotional, then reassured, knowing we were going to be in the best place for the ongoing care of our son."  

Shortly after his birth, Francis cuddles his mother Georgia, while father Chris stands next to the bedside. Chris and Georgia wear hair nets and are smiling.
Francis was born with complex kidney and bladder complications

 

Francis was born 300km from home in the Westmead birth unit and immediately transferred to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) next door.

Francis underwent surgery in the hospital’s new Perioperative Suite, then recovered in the new Surgical Inpatient Unit.  

“For someone who’s spent three weeks at the hospital, it is quite nice. It’s put a very positive spin on a very stressful situation.”   

All inpatient units in the new building support parents to stay by the bedside of their child, with large, private single patient rooms that include dedicated care zones with a carer bed. All non-intensive care single patient rooms also include an ensuite.   

 

As first‑time parents, Georgia and Chris said the privacy and comfort of the upgraded patient rooms made it possible to bond as a family during Francis’ recovery.  

“For us as a new family, having a single room has been invaluable."  


The family said they're grateful for access to world-class facilities designed to meet family needs of space, convenience, connection and comfort.  

“You walk into the front door of this building, and you don’t feel like you’re walking into a hospital,” Chris said.

family
The first time family enjoyed a private patient room

“It’s light, it’s bright, clean, there’s artwork and pictures, it takes your mind off being in a hospital because it doesn’t feel like one.”


 

The family have spent time in communal areas away from the bedside – an aspect greatly expanded in the new building with dedicated lounge, play, multi-purpose, dining and adolescent rooms.  

Children's play room and winter garden
Children's play room and winter garden

The new building provides new and expanded critical, complex and acute healthcare services, including:

  • expanded cancer services including a new day oncology treatment centre and inpatient units  

  • new perioperative unit with operating theatres, cardiac catheterisation labs and interventional laboratory    

  • new complex and acute medical inpatient units, and surgical short stay unit  

  • state-wide service for burns, offering inpatient and outpatient facilities  

  • larger pharmacy and new oncology pharmacy, equipped with a robot to streamline the delivery of medication.  

The Wattle Building at The Children's Hospital at Westmead
The new Wattle Building at The Children's Hospital at Westmead

The project was delivered by Health Infrastructure and Scyne Advisory with builder Roberts Co and BLP Architects.  

Significant philanthropic contributions towards the project have been raised by Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation.