A place to live independently, but with practical and health support on hand and expert care for whatever lies ahead – all on the same site.
That’s our vision for HammondCare Greenwich, a new centre of excellence for the complex care of older people built on the grounds of our well-known Greenwich Hospital.
HammondCare Greenwich will be an integrated health campus offering world-class services including palliative, dementia, restorative and mental health care, along with aged care and seniors living accommodation.
It will also feature a new sub-acute hospital with specialist services, including inpatient and outpatient palliative care, and a headquarters for the new groundbreaking research initiative, Hammond Innovations.
HammondCare CEO Andrew Thorburn said at the launch of the project today that the Greenwich redevelopment is part of a $300 million response to the challenges of an ageing population, which involves a broader integrated plan across Northern Sydney.
The Greenwich redevelopment is part of a $300 million response to the challenges of an ageing population, which involves a broader integrated plan across Northern Sydney.
‘It’s vital, especially for the rapidly growing older population, to have a grand and far reaching vision for this now very old site where buildings are no longer fit for purpose,’ Mr Thorburn said.
'Northern Sydney has one of the highest concentrations of older people in all of Australia with as many as one in three people expected to be aged over 65 by 2041.
‘We’re building a flagship centre for excellence in complex care while losing none of the care, compassion and kindness.’
The plans were warmly welcomed by Member for Lane Cove Anthony Roberts, Lane Cove Mayor Merri Southwood and Northern Sydney Local Health District CEO Associate Professor Anthony Schembri AM, pictured with HammondCare CEO Andrew Thorburn.
The proposed seniors' living apartments will cater to older couples seeking independence as their healthcare needs evolve. They’ll support ageing in place, allowing seniors to remain in their homes with the necessary support, among the first initiatives of its kind in Australia.
Also included on the redeveloped Greenwich Hospital site will be residential aged care accommodation in a small household setting for people living with dementia, drawing on HammondCare’s 30 years of expertise in cognitive decline care and environments.
Executive General Manager for Health and Hospitals, Felicity Burns said that having all the services on one site ‘just makes sense’, and that marrying the right environment to the right care will lead to excellent care.
‘I am truly confident that this will be an incredible site with incredible care,’ she said.
‘Why do I know that? I know that because, at the moment, the care is incredible, the people are incredible…So if we’ve got the environment and the care – wow, the possibilities are endless.’
Watch as Felicity Burns explains the impact HammondCare Greenwich will have on the people of Northern Sydney.
Mr Thorburn said the project was in line with our ambition to lead in complex care of older people nationally, specialising in dementia and palliative care, at one location.
Australia’s growing ageing population will mean people living longer with chronic health conditions, an increase in dementia incidence and stretched palliative services. Over the next 40 years, the number of people aged over 65 years will more than double and the number aged over 85 will more than triple.
Over the next 40 years, the number of people aged over 65 years will more than double and the number aged over 85 will more than triple.
'The new HammondCare Greenwich will be HammondCare’s flagship location, a place where world-class care and innovation come together in a way not seen in Australia to meet the challenges of complex care for older people,' Mr Thorburn said.
'Our vision is that HammondCare Greenwich will be regarded nationally as the place to go for best practice aged care, especially complex dementia and palliative care. It will attract not only those who need it but also those who excel – or want to excel – at delivering it or researching it.'
The existing 72-bed Greenwich Hospital building and associated facilities on River Road will be demolished to allow for new services that will include:
Heritage-listed Pallister House will be home to Hammond Innovations, a new initiative that harnesses research, creative design, the latest technologies and cross-sector partnerships with fast implementation to transform aged care.
Existing Healthcare services and staff will be relocated to temporary offsite accommodation sites during construction. Completion of HammondCare Greenwich is expected in 2029.
To catch the vision of the integrated health campus, view our fly through.