An Australian-first complex care centre for children – the ‘Kookaburra Centre’ – is set to receive $40.1 million from the New South Wales 2025/26 Budget.
The funding, in partnership with the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation, will enable the fit out of the new centre within the new Paediatric Services Building at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
The funding will be a part of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Stage 2 Redevelopment, bringing the total investment to $659.1 million.
Children with multiple chronic and complex health conditions often require a multidisciplinary team of clinicians to provide diagnosis and on-going care.
The Kookaburra Centre will be the first of its kind in Australia and custom designed to centralise this specialised care.
Acknowledging that families play a key role in the care of these children, the centre will provide physical zones for parents to relax and improve clinical contact amongst health staff.
Technology will also be a critical part of the design of the centre, with remote monitoring implemented to offer 24/7 monitoring capabilities, and to connect patients with off-site medical teams and other people important to the wellbeing of the child and family.
These expanded virtual care systems will greatly benefit patients from regional and remote NSW by integrating a child’s local treating team into the hospital, enabling them to partake in ward rounds and helping ensure a seamless transition once discharged home.
The partnership with the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation (SCHF) demonstrates what can be achieved when government and philanthropy work together to deliver the best care possible for children and young people.
In addition to the Kookaburra Centre, the new Paediatric Services Building will expand capacity at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead to include:
- A new Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
- Perioperative Unit
- NSW Paediatric Burns Unit
- Cancer Services
- Pharmacy
- Inpatient units
- Additional isolation capacity
- Family and play areas
Design and planning will be informed through extensive community consultation with clinicians, patients and their families.
The new Paediatric Services Building is currently being constructed by RobertsCo and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026.
It will connect with the new Emergency Department, medical imaging and short stay unit delivered through Stage 1 of the Redevelopment in March 2021.
New South Wales Minister for Health, Ryan Park, said that the Children’s Hospital at Westmead does incredible work, providing quality care and clinical services to more than 94,000 sick and injured children each year.
“By working with the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation, we are going to be able to deliver world-class care and state-of-the-art infrastructure to the children and families who need it most, coordinating all of their care in one central location,” Park said.
“The Kookaburra Centre’s innovative, home-like facilities will enable specialist treatment to accommodate the specific needs of patients and ensure families are an integral part of their care.”
Member for Parramatta, Donna Davis, said that navigating treatment for children with complex health issues can be very challenging for families, a centralised space like the Kookaburra Centre will greatly improve that experience.
“This upgrade will not only better support these children and their families but allow their clinicians to provide more coordinated and collaborative care,” Davis said.
SCHF CEO, Kristina Keneally, said that the Kookaburra Centre is a testament to what’s possible when philanthropy and Government work hand-in-hand — creating not just a world-class facility, but a new model of care centred around children and their families.
“We’re proud to partner with Government to make this vision a reality, and grateful to every donor who is helping bring it to life.”
SCHN Director of Clinical Operations, Dr Joanne Ging, said that the Centre will transform the model of care for treating patients with chronic and complex medical conditions, bringing together medical teams from various specialties to collaborate and co-ordinate personalised care in one location.
“This approach is completely unique and will not only improve a family’s experience while they are in hospital, but thanks to virtual care technology, it will also enable a seamless transition back home – whether that be in metro, rural or regional NSW.”
