Three new operating theatres, two new wards, an extended Emergency Department, and a refurbished maternity unit will all be part of the complete rebuild of the hospital in Shepparton thanks to funding from the Andrews Labor Government in the upcoming 2016/17 Victorian Budget.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Health Jill Hennessy joined members of the community to announce the $168.5 million redevelopment, which will ensure Goulburn Valley Health is able to treat more patients in modern, state of the art facilities, with reduced wait times in both the emergency department and for elective surgery.
The redevelopment includes:
- A new four-storey tower will provide three new operating theatres and two new wards, and existing theatres will be refurbished to provide greater efficiency with operations.
- The existing Emergency Department will be extended to add extra treatment bays, doubling its current capacity, and a new short-stay unit to improve patient wait times.
- The hospital’s maternity unit will be refurbished, and a new Special Care Nursery will be constructed.
- Patients needing dialysis at Goulburn Valley Health will receive their treatment in greater comfort, with the existing chairs to be replaced with a new, expanded 16 chair unit.
- Medical imaging services will be expanded and modernised as part of the redevelopment.
In its service plan, Goulburn Valley Health has also identified a number of opportunities to improve the hospital’s acute health services during the next decade.
The Shepparton community will continue to be extensively involved in planning the redevelopment, with Independent Member for Shepparton, Suzanna Sheed chairing the Community Advisory Group to ensure that community needs are front and centre of the project.
Last year Goulburn Valley Health was given funding through the Government’s $200 million Hospital Beds Rescue Fund to open eight more acute inpatient beds, enabling an extra 635 patients to be treated every year.
The hospital redevelopment project follows on from the $1 million in planning money provided in last year’s Budget to get the project on track after four years of inaction by the former Coalition Government.
The project is expected to be completed in late 2020, with more than 140 jobs to be created during peak construction.
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“The community has long called for Shepparton Hospital to be rebuilt and expanded and we are getting it done.”
“This investment means our hardworking doctors and nursers can provide the safe and high quality care patients need. Patients will be treated faster, close to their families and close to home.”
Quotes attribute to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“The former Coalition Government took the people of Shepparton for granted and refused to give them the modern hospital that they badly needed.”
“We are rebuilding Shepparton Hospital from the ground up. More patients treated more often and state of the art facilities to match.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020