The Andrews Labor Government will invest $560 million in new hospitals and equipment for Victoria, ensuring families can access state-of-the-art care closer to home.
The new Western Women’s & Children’s Hospital and major expansions at Casey Hospital and Werribee Mercy Hospital are key planks of the Labor Government’s health capital program.
In the 2015-16 Victorian Budget, the Labor Government is investing more than three times what was allocated in last year’s Budget by the former Liberal Government.
The new $200 million Western Women’s & Children’s Hospital will provide 237 beds, 39 special care nursery cots, four theatres and additional clinics, catering for the needs of one of the fastest growing areas in Australia.
By 2026, the number of births at Sunshine Hospital is projected to exceed 7,000 per year, and it’s vital that Melbourne’s west is able to cope with this future increased demand for health care.
Preliminary work for the new hospital will be carried out over the next year, with the main construction to take place in the following two years.
The Labor Government will also provide $85 million for the redevelopment and expansion of Werribee Mercy Hospital, which will deliver six extra operating theatres and 64 new inpatient beds, including eight critical care beds.
In Melbourne’s south-east, $106.3 million is also being provided for a major expansion of Casey Hospital. Another rapidly growing region, this investment will enable Casey Hospital to treat 12,000 more patients, conduct 8000 more surgeries and support 500 more births.
A new acute inpatient tower will provide four new operating theatres, a surgery recovery centre and 96 extra beds, including an intensive care unit – increasing the size of the hospital by 35 per cent.
Other key capital announcements in the Budget include:
- $20 million to provide an intensive care unit and short stay unit at the Angliss Hospital providing up to 20 beds to cater for patients needing urgent care.
The new ICU will enable the Angliss to provide the latest technology to treat heart attacks, strokes, severe infections, organ failure and complications resulting from surgery.
- $10 million to expand the cardiovascular service at Ballarat Health Services, to build and equip a new cardiac catheterisation laboratory.
This expansion will mean more people living across western Victoria can receive urgent heart assessment, treatment and care in Ballarat, instead of travelling to Geelong or Melbourne.
- $3.8 million to build a new helipad on the roof of the Monash Children’s Hospital, to provide access to both children’s and adult emergency services.
- $15 million in initial funding to progress planning and development for Australia’s first specialist heart hospital – the Victorian Heart Hospital.
The 195-bed stand-alone facility will be built at Monash University in Clayton and will treat cardiac diseases from early childhood to advanced adult life, undertake ground-breaking research and train the next generation of Victorian heart specialists.
- $16.2 million to expand the Moorabbin Hospital, with the addition of a Magnetic Resonance Imager (MRI) and Computerised Tomography (CT) machine, and 11 new outpatient specialist consulting suites.
- $40 million in ambulance capital works, including the rebuilding of nine existing branches and a new one at Wendouree. Ambulance Victoria’s vehicles and equipment will also be upgraded.
- $70 million for a program to replace clinical services hardware, engineering infrastructure and medical equipment.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy
“This is a budget for Victorian families that invests in hospitals, in health and in services.”
“The former Liberal Government underinvested in capital and equipment during their four years in office.”
“The Andrews Labor Government is investing more in our hospitals to ensure Victorians can access timely quality health services.”
“We are building and expanding hospitals to ensure that Victorians can get the care they need closer to home.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020