Premier

New Joan Kirner Hospital One Step Closer

17 March 2016

The new $200 million Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital is one step closer, with the appointment of a managing contractor to build the new hospital announced today.

Visiting Sunshine Hospital today, Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy, joined local Member for St Albans, Natalie Suleyman, to announce Lend Lease Building Contractors Pty Ltd will build the new hospital.

A Community Advisory Group, which will be led by Ms Suleyman, will also be established to help shape the project and ensure that local community needs are considered in the development of the new hospital.

The Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital will be a multi-level facility with 20 maternity delivery rooms, 173 beds, 39 special care nursery cots, four theatres and additional clinics.

It will meet the needs of one of the fastest growing areas in Australia and ensure more women in Melbourne’s west will be able to give birth and access children’s services closer to home. The numbers of births at Sunshine Hospital are expected to exceed 7,000 per year by 2026.

Early construction of the new Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital is expected to start later this year. The project, a key Andrews Labor Government election commitment, will create up to 600 jobs during the construction phase.

Lend Lease has a proven track record of building state-of-the-art new hospitals including the new Monash Children’s Hospital, which will treat an additional 7000 children every year from the communities of south east Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and Gippsland.

The contractors also built the Box Hill Hospital redevelopment that is now home to the hospital’s acute inpatient and day patient facilities, emergency department, women’s and children’s services and specialist cancer and renal inpatients’ facilities.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy

“The Andrews Labor Government is proud to be building the new Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital so families in Melbourne’s west can get the care and treatment they need and deserve, closer to home.”

“Today marks an important milestone in the delivery of this exciting project.”

“The new Hospital will mean more families in the West will have peace of mind knowing that children’s services are right on their doorstep.”

Quotes attributable to Member for St Albans Natalie Suleyman

“I am looking forward to the contribution of the new Community Advisory Group which will assist in shaping the project, and will ensure that local community needs are considered in the delivery of the new hospital.”

“As one of the fastest growing regions in Australia, it’s critical that families in the West can access the healthcare they need, when they need it.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

Was this page helpful?