UON welcomes commitment to Central Coast Medical School and Health and Medical Research Institute

The University of Newcastle (UON) welcomes today’s announcement by the Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham, that if re-elected, the government will support the development of a new, world-class UON Central Coast Medical School and Health and Medical Research Institute in Gosford.

The government’s $32.5 million commitment means cutting-edge education and research facilities will become the centrepiece of a new Health and Wellbeing Precinct to be developed at Gosford Hospital.

Today’s commitment by the Commonwealth leverages the $20 million investment by the NSW Government and the $20 million investment by the University of Newcastle. UON has also committed 30 of its existing medical places per year to the Medical School, a key catalyst for the initiative.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Caroline McMillen said the Minister’s announcement creates exceptional new opportunities for the whole region.

“This is a landmark day for the Central Coast. UON has been the Central Coast’s university for 27 years and today represents the next stage in our major commitment to education, research and innovation on the Coast.”

“The new UON Central Coast Medical School and Health and Medical Research Institute will help drive the Coast’s innovation economy, create good jobs, attract new talent and investment, improve healthcare and link the world’s best medical education and research to the Central Coast.”

“These world-class new facilities are game-changers for the region – the Central Coast deserves nothing less,” said Professor McMillen.

The new facilities will contain a Medical School – based on UON’s existing, world-class medical school – and an affiliated Health and Medical Research Institute co-located on the site of the redeveloping Gosford Hospital, with some research projects based at Wyong Hospital. Today’s announcement means a total of $72.5 million of capital investment will be a catalyst for enhanced integrated healthcare, innovation and new opportunities for the Central Coast.

The project’s benefits include:

• *Economic impact of $209 million for the regional economy over 10 years.
• 765 new jobs for the Central Coast.
• A brand new health and medical education and research precinct delivering regionally trained doctors, nurses and allied health practitioners.
• A major boost to the Coast’s knowledge economy, retaining and attracting investment and talent to the region. The Vice-Chancellor paid tribute to the commitment of colleagues who have worked to shape the project since 2014.

“Transformational projects are always a team effort. Matt Hanrahan and his team at the Central Coast Local Health District, Paul Anderson and colleagues at the City Council, and Lucy Wicks, Federal Member for Robertson, have all worked to champion and deliver this project.”

“I want to thank them most sincerely for their collaboration and their ambition for the Coast,” said the Vice-Chancellor. It is expected that the UON Central Coast Medical School and Health and Medical Research Institute will be completed late 2018 or early 2019.