Camden and Campbelltown Hospitals are New South Walespublic hospitals servicing the Macarthur region. Camden and Campbelltown hospitals operate under a single common executive management structure, with services delivered across both hospitals. Camden Hospital, the smaller of the two, specialises in select clinical services for older persons with acute or chronic health conditions, namely rehabilitation, palliative care, geriatric evaluation and management, and psychogeriatric care. Camden Hospital also maintains an eight bed 24 hour Level 2 Emergency Department, and is the home site of the University Medical Clinic of Campbelltown and Camden and the Karitane Residential Family Care Unit. Camden Hospital currently consists predominately of a Main Building and a Heritage Wing. Campbelltown Hospital, the larger hospital, operates a 40 bed 24 hour Level 5 Emergency Department along with clinical services in specialist medicine, surgery, child and family health services, mental health and drug and alcohol addiction services, and aboriginal and community health services. All branches of medicine are represented, and the hospital is able to offer most surgical services. Campbelltown Hospital also has a large oncology service and the largest paediatric department in New South Wales outside of the dedicated children’s hospitals. Campbelltown Hospital currently consists predominately of four major buildings plus the Cancer Therapy Centre and the youth and adult mental health units. Campbelltown Hospital is also the home of the Western Sydney University Macarthur Clinical School, that gives clinical skill training to WSU medical students.
Camden Hospital History
While Campbelltown Hospital is much larger than Camden Hospital today, it is Camden Hospital that has the longest history. On 19 January 1898 the Camden Municipal Council proposed to establish a cottage hospital for the municipality, and on 12 April 1899 a two-story house known as Edithville, located on Mitchell Street, was converted into a temporary 12 bed hospital facility. On 24 May 1902 then New South Wales PremierJohn See opened a permanent, made for purpose 12 bed facility, Camden Cottage Hospital on Windmill Hill and in its first year of operation it treated 102 patients. By 1914, the number of patients treated had more than doubled, and the cottage hospital was feeling the strain, so the government decided to fund the hospital’s expansion which saw it redeveloped and re-opened as Camden District Hospital on 10 June 1916. The four storey P.B. Hodge Block was added to Camden District Hospital in March 1971, which doubled the number of beds possible for the hospital. In 1990 a day unit and aged care and rehabilitation centre was added, followed by a university medical clinic in 2008, and an eight bed Karitane residental family care unit in 2010.
Campbelltown Hospital History
The building of Campbelltown Hospital had initially been foreshadowed by the Askin Liberal NSW Government, in an election campaign promise, but which it subsequently dawdled over, drawing fire from then Prime MinisterGough Whitlam whose electorate of Werriwa included Campbelltown’s northern suburbs. Eventually though, construction began and the 30 bed Campbelltown Hospital was officially opened by then New South Wales PremierNeville Wran on 1 October 1977. By April 1978, the hospital had increased its beds to 120, including a 10-bed Paediatric Ward. Campbelltown Hospital opened Australia's first Day Surgery unit on 24 March 1984. Block C was added in June 1986, increasing capacity to 210 beds. The Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre was added in February 2003. Block A was added in 2006, providing new Operating Theatres and Emergency Department, intensive care and high-dependency units. Block D was added in August 2015 improving outpatients services, adding a Physiotherapy Gym and surgical wards. The University of Western Sydney Clinical School opened in 2007, with its Macarthur Clinical School Building opened in April 2017.
Campbelltown Hospital Redevelopment
On 21 March 2012, then New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell announced plans for a major works redevelopment of Campbelltown Hospital. Stage 1 of the redevelopment project completed in 2016 and delivered:
An additional 248 car park spaces
An additional 90 inpatient beds with capacity for a further 30;
On 17 June 2017 New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced Stage 2 of the redevelopment project would commence, that would expand and enhance capacity and services across multiple departments as well as provide for a seven level multi-story car park with over 800 spaces. Stage 2 is not expected to complete until 2023.
