Manly will soon house Australia’s first palliative care hospice for young people living with an incurable illness, with construction to commence shortly.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Member for Manly James Griffin visited the site of the former Manly Hospital today to turn the first sod on the Adolescent and Young Adult Hospice.
“This is the first hospice in Australia dedicated to 15-24 year old patients living with an incurable illness, providing first class palliative care services and support during the most challenging of times,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“The hospice will welcome families from right across NSW, including in rural and regional areas.”
Member for Manly James Griffin said the Adolescent and Young Adult Hospice will provide specialised care, including bereavement support and counselling.
“The Manly community has made the development of this vital hospice right here on our beautiful coast possible through their wonderful support and donations,” Mr Griffin said.
“More than $6.5 million has been raised by the community for this project. This was boosted by an $8 million investment from the NSW Government along with $5 million from the Federal Government.
“This hospice will fill a much-needed gap for young people who outgrow Manly’s renowned Bear Cottage or have been diagnosed with life-limiting conditions as a young adult.”
The Adolescent and Young Adult Hospice will have eight bedrooms for patients, breakout spaces including a media and games room, as well as two family accommodation units with two bedrooms each.
Construction of the hospice is scheduled for completion in late 2022 and is jointly funded by the NSW and Australian governments, as well as generous community donations.
Health Infrastructure is working closely with the Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) and expert clinicians to deliver the hospice, which will be located at the former Manly Hospital site on the North Head headland.
For further information and to support the Hospice, visit the NSLHD website.
Background
The $19.5 million Manly Adolescent and Young Adult Hospice (AYAH) will be Australia’s first dedicated service for young people with life-limiting illness. The service will be for 15 to 24-year-old patients with life-limiting illness and will offer respite care, symptom management and end of life care.
Located on the former Manly Hospital site on the North Head headland, the AYAH will provide specialised care for families, including bereavement support and counselling. The hospice will be surrounded by national parks, bushland and environmental conservation areas, providing a natural and peaceful setting for young people and their families.
The Manly AYAH development has been made possible through generous donations from the community and funding committed by the Australian and NSW Governments. This partnership will continue once the hospice’s doors open, with the NSW Government committing $2 million per year towards operating costs and supporting ongoing community fundraising.
The Manly AYAH will be available to all young people in NSW with life-limiting illness, regardless of where they are located. The service will provide specialised support for rural and regional patients and limit their need to travel long distances.
Benefits
The project will:
- deliver specialised care tailored to young people and their unique needs
- provide dedicated and professional support for families
- reduce the need for extensive travel for rural patients
- focus on privacy, respite and recreation
- be a catalyst for further end-of-life care services for young people across Australia.
Updated design
Health Infrastructure is working closely with the Northern Sydney Local Health District and expert clinicians to deliver the hospice.
Following further consultation with key stakeholders, the schematic design for the Manly AYAH has been updated to provide a greater level of care and patient experience tailored for this age group.
Manly AYAH - (supplied NSW Government)
The updated design will provide:
- Eight bedrooms for patients, each with an ensuite and outdoor balcony
- Carers lounges adjacent to four of the bedrooms
- Two family accommodation units with two bedrooms each
- On-site dedicated kitchen and dining room
- Breakout spaces including lounge room, games room, media room, multisensory room, quiet room and sitting rooms
- Laundry for families staying overnight
- Outdoor balcony of the lounge room with views over the harbour
- Garden and landscaping areas, including spaces for outdoor activities
- Telehealth consult spaces.
