NSW Health Minister opens multi-million dollar Macarthur Clinical School

Western Sydney University and South Western Sydney Local Health District has opened the $21 million Macarthur Clinical School at Campbelltown Hospital – a significant milestone for the University's School of Medicine, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

Opened by the Hon. Brad Hazzard MP, NSW Minister for Health and Minister for Medical Research, the state-of-the-art facility is jointly funded by the NSW Government and the University.

The Macarthur Clinical School is one of the key training sites for the University's School of Medicine, with students receiving hands-on clinical experience and mentoring by the hospital's senior specialists and other health professionals from their very first year.

Macarthur Clinical School official opening

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Comprising purpose-built, specialist teaching and simulated learning spaces, the Clinical School also houses the hospital's postgraduate training unit for nursing and other health professionals, providing a significant boost to the hospital's clinical training capacity.

The new four-storey Clinical School includes:

  • a 153-seat lecture theatre
  • a clinical skills teaching facility
  • simulation laboratory
  • eight clinic/clinical trials rooms
  • hospital library
  • office space for clinical academic teams
  • a new Centre for Education and Workforce Development – a teaching and office facility for the South Western Sydney Local Health District.

Since its first intake of students in 2007, Western Sydney University's School of Medicine has produced some 670 doctors – 18 of them from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.

Macarthur Clinical School

Importantly, up to 70 per cent of Western Sydney University graduates have stayed on to complete their internships in western Sydney's hospitals – helping to improve the health of people across one of Australia's fastest growing areas, and alleviate the shortage of doctors in the region.

Establishing a School of Medicine at Western Sydney University was a watershed moment in the University's history, says Vice-Chancellor, Professor Barney Glover.

"Since that very first intake of 100 students just 10 years ago, we have had hundreds of young aspiring doctors go on to work in the region they understand so well – some of whom are training in the hospitals they were actually born in. They have also gone on to work further afield, in rural and regional communities across the state where doctors are in even shorter supply," says Professor Glover.

Macarthur Clinical School 

"We are delighted to partner with the South Western Sydney Local Health District to deliver this outstanding new education and training facility for the region. We are very proud to be a Medical School that is not only providing a modern, 21st century learning environment to challenge and inspire a new kind of doctor, but one which is deeply embedded in Western Sydney and has had strong and continued involvement from our local community."

Ms Amanda Larkin, Chief Executive of South Western Sydney Local Health District, says Western Sydney University's commitment to be co-located with Campbelltown Hospital provides staff and students with access to world class training and education.

"Campbelltown Hospital is in good stead to become a centre for cutting-edge health care delivered by some of the very best doctors not only here in the State, but on a global level," said Ms Larkin.

Macarthur Clinical School

Dean of Western Sydney University's School of Medicine, Professor Annemarie Hennessy AM, says staff and students could not be prouder of the new Clinical School and the ten-year milestone.

"What makes our graduates stand out, is the unique perspective they can bring to dealing with complex health needs, coupled with their clinical training, which has them working collaboratively alongside other health professionals in order to deal with these health issues head on," says Professor Hennessy.

"Our researchers are also making important inroads when it comes to research and translating their findings into new and innovative ways to treat complex health issues – chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease – as well as working alongside the local community to improve the health of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

"Together with our local communities, we are very pleased to be doing our bit to improve the health and wellbeing of generations of Australians."

ENDS

16 August 2017

Amanda Whibley, Manager, Media and Public Relations
a.whibley@westernsydney.edu.au  
(02) 9678 7084, 0418 438 399

Photos: Sally Tsoutas