More Gippsland patients will get the emergency care and surgeries they need sooner thanks to an Andrews Labor Government funding boost to revamp Warragul Hospital.
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy and Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing today visited Warragul Hospital to announce West Gippsland Healthcare Group would receive $9.3 million for two projects through the first round of the Labor Government’s new Regional Health Infrastructure Fund.
The $200 million fund – the largest of its kind in Victorian history – will rebuild rural and regional hospitals to ensure all Victorians can access the high quality care and facilities they need, no matter where they live.
At Warragul Hospital, we’re investing $3.3 million to build a new eight-bed short-stay unit in the emergency department, so more patients can be treated, more quickly.
This unit will expand capacity, improve efficiency and reduce waiting times for treatment by creating a dedicated area for patients who will stay in hospital for less than 24-hours.
We are also investing $6 million to build a third operating theatre at Warragul Hospital.
The extra theatre will meet increasing demand for elective and emergency surgery from the growing Gippsland population, and enable more patients to access care at their local hospital, closer to home and loved ones.
These two investments come on top of the $1 million already provided to plan for the future redevelopment of Warragul Hospital.
The Victorian Budget 2016/17 provided an extra $2.45 billion for health so hospitals can admit more patients, reduce waiting times, upgrade buildings and infrastructure, and keep Victorians healthy.
In 2016/17, West Gippsland Healthcare Group will receive $67.54 million in funding from the Labor Government. This is $5.1 million – or 8.2 per cent – more than provided the previous financial year.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“While we plan for the future at Warragul, we are making the critical upgrades needed now to existing facilities so doctors and nurses can continue delivering high quality, safer care and meet growing demand.”
“A new short-stay unit will streamline care and move people through emergency faster, meaning more people will get treated and paramedics can get back on the road quicker.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“Doctors and nurses at Warragul do a remarkable job. We’re supporting them to do their job saving lives and keeping locals healthy by building a modern new operating theatre and expanding emergency capacity, while the work continues on meeting the area’s needs into the future.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020