On Friday, December 15, CCASE held its official opening, drawing Southern NSW Local Health District CEO Andrew Newton, South East Regional Hospital manager Wendy Hubbard and Member for Bega Andrew Constance to the occasion. 

Over 50 people came viewed the recently completed residences during the public open house, showcasing stage one of the development.

CCASE is expecting its first guests within a week of opening.

Six accommodation rooms are now completed, linked together by a central courtyard. They are only a short walk from SERH.

The development offers versatile living arrangements. Three of the rooms are able to be connected, creating flexible living arrangements for big and small families. 

The complex also includes a communal living space with library and television and shared laundry facilities. 

All six rooms are easy access and one is fully compliant with wheelchair access, featuring accessible toilet and bathroom facilities. 

Bega Rotary’s Charlie Blomfield said being able to keep family close by during a patient’s treatment was not only a great comfort, but was taking a holistic approach to medicine. 

“When family stays here they are involved in the treatment process, which improves the level of care and understanding their carer can provide when they are discharged,” he said. 

Another Bega Rotary member, John Cooper, said it was a great thing to offer to people from out of town. 

”I’m very impressed, I’ve heard a few people say it’s even better than the accommodation they offer at canberra hospital, so it’s something for us to be proud of,” he said. 

“The whole hospital complex is magnificent now, despite a few teething problems at the beginning, it’s really coming together.”

Rhonda Crowe is in the special needs and dementia volunteer team at SERH, she said the accommodation will be very helpful for people with a sick loved one. 

“There is room for whole families, so they can all stay together if they need to be here, which is so important,” she said.  

“We’ve come a long way from the old accommodation, it’s so light and calming, they’re very well designed.” 

CCASE project president Lynne Koerbin was delighted at the interest and support from the public. 

Now that stage one is complete, stage two, a communal space, and stage three, more accommodation rooms, will kick off in the new year.

The CCASE project is currently tendering for a builder to start construction of stage two in January.

Funding has already been secured for the next stage of the development, which is planned to be completed by October 2018.