The hospital’s new CEO Paul McKenna said the expansion would increase the facility to 75 beds from the current 57 beds with 14 current double-bed rooms becoming singles.

“A single room strategy is definitely important for all of our customers,” he said.

“The single room strategy is what people want these days.”

Mr McKenna said it was a strategy the hospital owner, Ramsay Health Care, would be rolling out across Australia.

He said at Dudley the mental health facility would also be expanded.

“We’re in the development process,” he said.

“I would think we would have the development application into council within the next couple of months,” he said.

READ MORE: Maureen laps up Dudley Private Hospital's new hydrotherapy pool

While the exact cost of the re-development is not yet known Mr McKenna said it would cost several million dollars.

He said the redevelopment would ensure Dudley remained a key part of the Orange community.

“We’re not going anywhere,” he said.

“Ramsey Health Care feel that Dudley Private is an important part of the network,” he said.

Mr McKenna said that once development approval had been granted he expected the work would take about six months.

READ MORE: New theatres at Dudley Private Hospital

He has been in the job for just one week after replacing former boss Prue Buist who was in the role on a temporary basis for about five months.

Mr McKenna said he was keen to be involved in the Orange community after previously living in the Southern Highlands and working at another Ramsay facility, Figtree Private Hospital near Wollongong.

Mr McKenna said he was a member of the Rotary Club and expected he would join an Orange club soon, as well as getting involved in other community activities.

He also confirmed that Dudley Private Hospital would be putting in a detailed submission to use its facilities to provide four beds for palliative care in Orange.

Last week the Western NSW Local Health District announced it was calling for submissions from interested bodies to run a palliative care facility outside of the Orange hospital.

The submission period is open for eight weeks after which a successful applicant will be selected by a panel of experts.

Former Dudley CEO Mrs Buist has promoted Dudley as a venue for a public-private palliative care scheme in Orange and has won the backing of the Orange Push for Palliative Care group and many local doctors.

Mrs Buist is now the director of clinical services at Sydney’s St George Private Hospital, which is also part of the Ramsay network.

She said the work on palliative care was one of the highlights of her time in Orange.

READ MORE:  Health service to back plan for public palliative care in private hospital

Mrs Buist said she had also been preparing a business case for the expansion and re-development of Dudley Private Hospital which is now going ahead.

She said the expansion would enable “a lot of services” to be added to the Dudley health facility.

That included facilities for treating lymphodema, extending the rehabilitation area and facilities for cancer oncology.