Today Premier Gladys Berejiklian opened the NSW Government's $25 million upgrade of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at John Hunter Children's Hospital.
The NICU is now double in size and with more than 1100 premature and sick newborns requiring care at the unit each year, the upgrade provides state-of-the-art healthcare for newborns.
"This world-class facility...will enable our wonderful NICU staff to continue care for the region's youngest patients well into the future," Ms Berejiklian said.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald said the completion of the unit, along with last year's $14 million upgrade of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, the region has wholesome critical care services for babies and young people.
"Staff have told me today how wonderful it is to work in such a well-planned and fitted out unit, while parents have talked about how the comfortable, supportive environment has made a harrowing experience just that bit easier," said Scot MacDonald.
The NICU now has the capacity for 32 special care spaces and 22 intensive care spaces as well as a palliative care room.
The expansion is a part of the NSW Government's $7.7 billion commitment to upgrading and building hospitals and health services over four years in NSW.
