Precincts offer unparalleled opportunity for collaboration and innovation

The emerging Randwick Health and Education Precinct is set to become the largest co-located health, innovation and education zone in NSW.

UNSW Medicine Dean Professor Rodney Phillips, in partnership with NSW Health Infrastructure, provided staff with an update about the emerging Randwick Health and Education Precinct, which is set to become the largest co-located health, innovation and education zone in NSW.

UNSW is partnering with the NSW Government to develop the Precinct, which has received $1.2 billion committed funding from the NSW State government and $550 million from UNSW across the next 10 years.

The Precinct reflects a 50-year plan of the University to better integrate with the adjacent Randwick hospitals. The additional space made available through the new buildings will enable more spaces for health education, training and acute healthcare services which will directly benefit patients, carers and the UNSW community.

Under the latest partnership initiative, the recently approved Prince of Wales (POW) Acute Services Building will be extended over Hospital Road, enabling clinical innovation and research, biomedical engineering and clinical translational research laboratories to be co-located directly alongside clinical staff providing acute healthcare services.

The combined components, currently referred to as the Integrated Acute Services Building (IASB) will bring clinicians, researchers, educators and public health together and will drive the rapid expansion of clinically relevant research, innovation and education excellence to improve patient care at the Randwick Hospitals Campus.

It has been previously announced that UNSW will construct a new building in the Precinct called the Health translation Hub (HTH). The HTH will see the co-location of areas of research strength such as Population Health research, neurosciences, clinical trials, mental health and addictions. It will also include state of the art education, training and research rooms including a cross disciplinary research space.

Professor Phillips, who will move into the new role of UNSW PVC Health on 1 October said, “This is a genuine partnership between the University and the hospital with a very strong shared vision. We are excited to see how, together, we can capitalise on our areas of expertise to create a research and education environment that will make a significant difference to health care in NSW.”

The IASB and operational integrations between the Randwick Hospitals Campus and UNSW, Sydney will enable the Precinct to compete at the forefront of Health education, training and research internationally. That in turn will attract outstanding clinicians, health professionals and academics and to drive better healthcare outcomes for patients and generate economic benefits for the community.

Construction of the new ASB is well under way with two piling rigs on site. Bulk excavation will commence in late 2019 with the aim of the building being complete in 2022. The IASB is currently undergoing statutory approval.

The HTH is due for completion in line with the new Sydney Children’s Hospital (Phase 1) in 2025.

For further information about the Acute Services Building Integration contact the Precincts Business Unit at Precincts@unsw.edu.au; or visit the information pop-up stall from 12-2pm on Wednesday 28 August outside the Pavilions, Matthews Building (outside The Little Marionette).