Dubbo is set to experience a population boom as its public hospital moves to staff new facilities and offer new services.
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The $150 million stage three and four redevelopment of Dubbo Hospital requires the recruitment of more than 160 workers, some of who will bring partners and children to the city.
Doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, wardsmen, administration and radiology staff are on the list of clinicians and support workers needed for a hospital growing in size and stature.
Hospital general manager Debbie Bickerton is asking the Western NSW Local Health District for the extra staff across the next three years.
"The majority of them will become residents here in Dubbo," she said.
"A lot of people will have families, particularly the doctors."
The hospital launched a recruitment and marketing campaign about nine months ago after struggling to employ 35 nurses after the opening of its $91.3 million stage one and two redevelopment.
It featured construction of the now-titled Talbragar Building, a surgical and maternity hub in the region.
The general manager said the hospital was "a lot more prepared" for recruitment of four times that number of staff.
"I think the difference this time is we are actually planning this a year ahead," she said.
Stage four redevelopment includes an under-construction three-storey building with a critical care floor comprising a coronary care/stroke unit, intensive care unit and cardiac catheter laboratory.
Cardiologists and a cardiology unit manager may be among the next influx of newcomers to the hospital which in the past year has replaced half of the locum doctors it uses with permanent doctors.
"A lot of the increase will be in cardiology staff for the cardiac cath lab which we don't have at the moment and there's a big increase in cardiology beds and some increase in intensive care beds," Ms Bickerton said.
She said the Western Cancer Centre would need more than 60 staff.
"Most of them will be in radiotherapy because we don't have that service now," Ms Bickerton said.
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The hospital is hopeful that the cancer centre and stage four redevelopment will be finished in 2021.