NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard made the announcement with Member for Port Macquarie on November 13.

The new helipad will be relocated from grounds at the rear of the hospital to the rooftop of the emergency department.

Works are expected to take 18 months.

The land currently used for the helipad will be converted into 80 additional car-parking spaces.

"The new helipad will provide patients with the most direct route to the hospital's emergency department and operating theatres when they need it most," Mr Hazzard said."

"The $104 million expansion of Port Macquarie Base Hospital included foundations for a future rooftop helipad directly above the emergency department and this is now becoming a reality for the community."

The state-of-the-art helipad is expected to receive between 50 and 60 retrievals a year.

Mr Hazzard said the helipad base above the emergency unit will be able to accommodate new helicopters introduced to the health network several years ago.

Mrs Williams said the existing helipad had undergone improvements over the years to meet changing aircraft requirements, but the new helipad will be a vast improvement that will serve the community well.

"This new helipad will give the people across the Mid North Coast region direct access to expert medical care," Mrs Williams said.

"As an extra bonus, the site of the existing helipad will be transformed into additional hospital car parking for staff, patients and their families.

"The world-class facilities we have at this hospital are going to continue. This is something we've had a vision for, but something this government can now deliver.

"Importantly, patients that are coming in do have that privacy if they've been attacked by a shark or affected by road trauma, there is privacy in that critical phase from the helicopter to the ED facility."

Mid North Coast Local Health District chief executive Stewart Dowrick said while there will be disruptions to the emergency department operations while work is undertaken, plans will be in place to ensure there is minimal impact on staff and patients.

"We will be working with our health care workers, particularly our emergency department to ensure we get our planning right," Mr Dowrick said.

Mr Hazzard made a point of urging Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to work with NSW Health to help remediate the parking strain.

"It's always a challenge in hospitals for regional towns and cities to have enough parking," Mr Hazzard said.

"As Health Minister, the community would like to see more parking here and I'd like to see the Local Health District work with council to try and get some land which is located in near proximity to the hospital. I'd encourage council to hear that message from me and get on board with this journey.

"The community wants the parking. Council is part of our community locally and it would be helpful if there can be fruitful and earnest discussions in getting on with that."

Mrs Williams said Port Base is a busy regional hospital and car-parking is a priority. Staff car-parking was opened at the hospital in 2019.

Port Macquarie Base Hospital is a major referral hospital for the Hastings Macleay Clinical Network which provides specialist services to people in the Port Macquarie-Hastings and Kempsey local government areas.

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