This saw the conversion of the existing hospital into a multipurpose service and include facilities such as new residential aged care rooms; a reconfigured acute care area; modifications to the Health One building; and staff accommodation.

Rylstone Health Service Manager, Susan Gawthorne, said it was “a wow project”, and “we’ve got a state-of-the-art, modern facility which is going to see us well and truly into the future.”

Member for Bathurst, Paul Toole, was on hand to officially open the project which he said, “changes the way care is undertaken in this area”.

“It ensures that the care here – whether it’s primary, acute or residential aged care – is accommodating for the needs of this community for many decades to come,” he said. “The redevelopment took two years but it has seen probably every part of this building being touched, whether it’s been the HealthOne, the staff accommodation, the car park, or the dining room, there has been so much work that’s occurred on this site.”

The MP thanked the staff for their patience working through the redevelopment, and acknowledged all that helped bring the project to fruition.

“A big shout out to all of the staff here at the hospital, because at the end of the day you are really the primary carers of ensuring that care, love and empathy is shown to all those who walk through the door,” he said. “I also acknowledge the Rylstone Health Council, during any development the input, the advice and the comments that you make through this whole process about how the design is to look and the type of service to be provided, is also critical to what we are seeing here today. And to the Rylstone Hospital Auxiliary you guys are amazing, and I mean that sincerely, the amount of money that you raise just goes a long way in helping to purchase equipment, ensure patients are given adequate support, their families carers and friends when they’re using this kind of facility.”

The MPS incorporates Wiradjuri signage and artwork. Artist Peter Swain - who was born in the hospital just three weeks after extensions in the 1960s – explained that the colourful “songlines” will guide people.

“The artwork we put together is a songline story, our songlines are our walk paths, they’re our story, they’re our past our present and our future,” he said. “The songlines are to direct you to the different areas of the hospital, so when you come in you can read on the map that you need to get to physio you follow the orange line, if you need to get to X-ray you follow the grey, if I want to come down to the residents you follow the yellow line.”