Selangor Private growth great for local jobs and economy

Nambour Selangor Private Hospital CEO Karl van der Merwe at the Coffee Catchup.

Nambour Selangor Private Hospital, a quiet achiever in hospital healthcare, has delivered an impressive 40 per cent growth in activity over the past year, bringing substantial economic benefits and new employment opportunities to the region.

CEO Karl van der Merwe told a recent gathering of the Nambour Chamber of Commerce that Selangor had expanded significantly, particularly in surgical services.

"Our growth has mainly come through word-of-mouth," Dr van der Merwe said. "When doctors experience our hospital and hear from patients, they become very loyal and recommend us to colleagues."

Selangor Hospital now offers advanced services including plastic surgery, ophthalmology, and maxillofacial surgery, supported by new state-of-the-art equipment.

"We’ve invested in top lasers for ophthalmology procedures, such as cataract operations," Dr van der Merwe said.

Beyond surgery, Selangor’s rehabilitation services—covering stroke and orthopaedic patients—feature a 50-strong allied health team providing physio, dietetics, social work and psychology.

The hospital’s commitment to palliative care remains central, often managing around eight patients receiving radiotherapy or chemotherapy symptom control at any one time.

Despite its age—around 70 years—the hospital’s history and its “country feel and homeliness” has become a point of pride, contributing to staff morale. Selangor employs 250 local staff, with another 50 to 100 doctors contracted.

“There's about 300, 350 staff that come and spend their money in Nambour and work at our hospital.”

He predicted further growth for the area, surpassing Noosa’s expansion rate over the next decade, highlighting Selangor’s pivotal role in supporting the hinterland economy.