NSW Govt to Fix Liberals’ Blacktown Hospital Failures
Today, the Minns Labor Government is one step closer to cleaning up the Liberals’ failure to build Blacktown Hospital with enough beds, with a builder appointed to deliver the additional beds and services in late 2026, a year ahead of schedule.
As part of the $120 million investment to further upgrade Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals, the project will provide expanded and contemporary acute inpatient capacity with a total of 60 additional beds across both Hospitals, relieving pressure and improving patient flow to support the hardworking hospital staff.
Bringing forward the delivery of these additional beds is part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to better meeting the healthcare needs of the growing western Sydney community, while working closely with the Commonwealth to address growing bed block caused by aged care and NDIS patients stuck in public hospitals across NSW.
Building contractor, Icon has been awarded the contract following a competitive tender process and work is set to begin in the coming weeks. The 30 new beds will be added across existing wards within expansion zones at Blacktown Hospital.
Blacktown’s Emergency Department sees more than 64,000 patients each year, with emergency (triage category 2) patient presentations having doubled since 2015.
The bed expansion project at Blacktown Hospital will include new patient rooms, along with expanded clinical and non-clinical support service spaces.
Construction will be carried out in stages to minimise disruption, with hospital services remaining operational throughout the redevelopment.
A planning application was also lodged in late 2025 for additional beds at Mount Druitt Hospital. This project will increase medical and surgical capacity.
The Minns Labor Government is investing in more staff, more hospitals and more beds with $1.3 billion of additional funding in the 2025-26 budget to support the delivery of health facilities and services across Western Sydney including:
Other projects in the western Sydney region include upgrades at Nepean, Liverpool, Canterbury, Fairfield, Camden and Campbelltown hospitals and the new Integrated Mental Health Complex at Westmead.
We are working to reverse the health failures of the NSW Liberals who:
The additional beds for Blacktown Hospital come at a time when NSW grapples with a sharp increase in the number of patients unable to be safely discharged because they are waiting to access a Commonwealth aged care or National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) placement.
At Blacktown Hospital, this number has almost tripled in the year to October 2025, from 7 to 18 patients.
The NSW Government is working constructively with the Commonwealth Government to settle on a new National Health Reform Agreement to help address these challenges.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
“We’re cleaning up yet another Liberal hospital failure by delivering the additional beds for Blacktown Hospital that western Sydney needs and deserves – and we’re going to deliver it faster than planned.
“The people of western Sydney are right to be sceptical after the Liberals failed to build Rouse Hill or a new Bankstown Hospital.
“Labor is focused on delivering more hospitals and more beds, more quickly to lower wait times and better meet the health needs of the community – and we will do it without privatisation.
“With rates of bed block from NDIS and aged care patients at Blacktown Hospital more than doubling in 2025, these new beds will play a vital role in helping improve patient flow and relieving pressure on our emergency departments.
“We are having constructive conversations with the Federal Government and hopefully we can work through this with in an updated agreement soon.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Blacktown, Stephen Bali:
“There’s more work to do but getting these new beds online ahead of schedule will relieve pressure and improve the patient experience after the Liberals left Blacktown Hospital in disarray.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Prospect, Hugh McDermott:
“We’re getting on with the job the Liberals couldn’t do – delivering the hospital beds our western Sydney families have been waiting for, bringing faster care and real relief for patients and staff.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Mount Druitt, Edmond Atalla:
“I am delighted that the Minns Labor government has been able to deliver these additional beds earlier than planned. With delays in NDIS and aged care placements increasing bed block at Blacktown Hospital this past year, these extra beds are absolutely crucial and will result in improved patient flow and will relieve pressure on our emergency department. Delivering them early will make a real difference for patients, families and staff across western Sydney.”
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20260120_00.aspx
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