RPA Hospital’s new temporary helicopter landing site (HLS) will soon be operational after a series of successful test flights were completed.
 

The temporary helipad has been constructed at the intersection of Hospital Road and Grose Street on the roof of the Staff and Visitor Car Park. The relocation of the helipad allows construction to proceed on the new eastern tower as part of the $940 million RPA Hospital Redevelopment.

The temporary helipad is scheduled to begin operations in December 2024. Once handover has occurred, any patient arriving by helicopter will be taken via newly installed lifts to a waiting ambulance on Grose Street before being driven to the RPA Hospital east campus for treatment. 

To help offset parking spaces lost while the temporary helipad is operational, the vacant land between the Staff and Visitor Car Park and Carillon Avenue has been converted into a temporary fleet vehicle car park that can accommodate about 100 vehicles.

RPA General Manager Kiel Harvey said the operation of the temporary helipad is a significant change for RPA. 

“The Redevelopment project team has worked very closely with our colleagues at Health Infrastructure to ensure our neighbours, patients and community are informed about the changes and their impacts,” he said.

“Construction of the temporary HLS has been a highly complex stage of work to complete, involving a changed route for patient transfers from the helipad.

“This has required strong, rigorous collaboration and coordination with many stakeholders including NSW Ambulance, Newborn & Pædiatric Emergency Transport Service and Sydney Local Health District staff members.

“I’m incredibly proud of the way our project team has worked to minimise disruption with a focus on safety for staff, patients and the community.

“Completion of this stage of work is a really exciting development that will allow the next stage of work to proceed on the redevelopment that will transform RPA Hospital and support the world-leading services it provides,” added Mr Harvey.

For safety information, including how to navigate the area around the temporary helipad you can read more here.