The Rusty Priest Clinical Services Building became home to Australia’s first National Centre for Veterans’ Healthcare when it opened in 2022 as part of the $341 million redevelopment of Concord, providing an additional 110 beds for the hospital.

The centre continues Concord Hospital’s legacy as an institution central to providing healthcare for service men and women in Australia’s defence force. Its link to the past is beautifully embodied by the integration of the International style Sulman Award winning architecture from 1941, with the modern style of today.

It’s a lovely place to take a moment to enjoy the outdoors indoors, and the stunning artwork on the eastern wall, ‘Poppies’ by artist Tim Maguire.

The new Clinical Services building is named after Rusty Priest, the late president of the New South Wales branch of the Returned and Services League of Australia, who served as its first Chairman.

The Rusty Priest building is named after the former NSW RSL President Godfrey 'Rusty' Priest. After retiring from the army, Rusty devoted his life to the RSL. He was made Member of the Order of Australia in 1997 and in 2003 was awarded a Centenary Medal for his services. Whilst president of the RSL he conceived the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway, which opened in 1996. He persuaded the then New South Wales Premier, Bob Carr, to re-name the Glebe Island Bridge to the Anzac Bridge and install the World War I Digger, bronze statue by sculptor Alan Somerville.

The Rusty Priest building has facilities dedicated to providing specialised care for cancer patients in the comprehensive Concord Cancer Centre, additional services for aged care patients, and clinical research facilities. With the arrival of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the Rusty Priest wards were opened ahead of schedule to receive and treat patients with COVID-19.