Outer South West Sydney residents will benefit from a newly opened temporary ambulance hub at Smeaton Grange.
Minister for health Ryan Park and Member for Camden Sally Quinnell visited the new site yesterday to meet the paramedics providing care to the area (pictured above).
Fifty paramedics started working out of the temporary site in late February, while planning is under way for new ambulance stations at Oran Park and Raby.
A further 26 paramedics, usually based at Camden Ambulance Station, also started working out of the temporary site from February 23 while renovation works take place at Camden.
NSW Ambulance often utilises temporary facilities to create additional capacity while construction of a new ambulance station or a major refurbishment of a station is underway.
A site has been identified for Oran Park ambulance station with a contractor soon to be appointed to start work.
A search for potential sites at Raby is continuing with detailed investigations underway.
The temporary site is located on Sedgewick Street, Smeaton Grange, and includes offices, a kitchen, lounge and dining areas, amenities and locker room facilities, a communications room and ambulance parking bays.
As part of the Strategic Workforce and Infrastructure Team (SWIFT) program, the South West Sydney sector has received a boost of 125 additional paramedics, which includes the 50 paramedics who will work out of the temporary Smeaton Grange site.
“This temporary facility at Smeaton Grange allows NSW Ambulance the opportunity to recruit and deploy additional paramedics to the area ahead of the construction of a new ambulance station,’’ said NSW Ambulance chief executive Dominic Morgan.
“This gets people on the ground more quickly to assist the community, delivering their life-saving skills when they are needed most.’’
Member for Camden Sally Quinnell welcomed the investment into emergency health care for a growing community.
“The broader South West Sydney community is set to benefit with planning under way for stations in Raby and Oran Park, and this temporary site at Smeaton Grange will help paramedics continue to deliver excellence in care to people right across Camden,” she said.