Planning is underway for a dedicated palliative care unit at Wyong Hospital – Elsie’s Retreat – following the NSW Government’s announcement of $13.6M towards the project.
Construction timeframes will be confirmed as planning progresses and space for the 12-bed unit is refurbished and upgraded.
The Wyong Hospital Elsie’s Retreat will be the second dedicated palliative care unit on the Central Coast, with the other at Gosford Hospital which opened in April 2021.
Elsie’s Retreat is one of the ongoing projects of the Lions of Wyoming/ East Gosford Centennial which the “Orange Army” started more than 12 years ago to make good on a promise Oana McBride made to close friend and neighbour Elsie, who passed away from breast cancer while in a nursing home.
Committee member of Elsie’s Retreat Project, Margaret Pearce, said there was a definite need for a second palliative care unit because of the rapid growth in the north and that the Gosford unit was always full with a waiting list.
“A huge thank you goes out to the community because the almost 10,000 people who signed our petitions was the push needed to get this unit,” she said.
“As a Lions club we can only do so much but with the community behind us we can achieve a lot.”
In the lead-up to the eventual opening of Wyong Elsie’s Retreat, Pearce is again calling on community support to help with a storage facility.
“We’ve already got about 600 lovely blankets and rugs ready to go into the Wyong unit but we’ve got nowhere in the northern end of the coast to store them.
“If someone could give me a smallish and very safe storage unit so they are closer at hand, ready to go into the Wyong unit, that would be a great help,” Pearce said.
Anyone who can help should phone Margaret Pearce on 0412 622 400.
Minister for Regional Health, Bronnie Taylor, visited the site of the new Elsie’s Retreat at Wyong Hospital to announce the $13.6M funding on Friday, November 25.
“As a former palliative care nurse, I couldn’t be prouder to be announcing this new dedicated palliative care unit for Wyong Hospital which will make such a difference to the lives of patients, families and carers,” she said.
“This is about providing a choice to Central Coast residents.
“I know that many people prefer to be cared for at home, but unfortunately that isn’t always an option and this new dedicated unit will provide that higher level of care in a comfortable and welcoming environment.
“The new palliative care unit will respond to increasing community needs in the northern part of the Central Coast and provide access for patients who require hospital-based support due to acute clinical or social needs,” Taylor said.
Parliamentary Secretary for Central Coast, Adam Crouch, said that once operational, this unit would provide the community the support it needs in a homely environment, with access to single rooms, family amenities and an outdoor space.
“I would like to thank the Orange Army of Elsie’s Retreat volunteers for their incredible support and campaigning to make this dream become a reality,” he said.
Crouch said the $13.6M funding for Wyong Elsie’s Retreat is part of the NSW Government’s $93M Enhancing End of Life Care program and, also, there is $743M towards palliative care and specialist health services in the 2022/23 NSW Budget to ensure NSW residents have access to the highest quality care and pain management services at the end of their life.
Sue Murray