Residents in Echuca, Kyabram and Tongala will benefit from higher quality and more timely health services with the official openings of a number of new health services today.
Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy, today officially opened new services at Echuca Regional Health, Tongala Community Health and Kyabram District Health, complete with modern new facilities and cutting edge technology.
First was the newly redeveloped Echuca Hospital where $65 million has seen the completion of an expansion, providing patients with more comfort, safety and privacy.
The expansion included a new emergency department, short stay/medical assessment and procedure unit, maternity and paediatrics unit, medical ward and a sub-acute unit.
The project increased capacity by 22 multi day beds, six short stay beds and 10 emergency department treatment spaces to meet growing demand.
Ms Hennessy also visited paramedics at Echuca Ambulance branch, which will be upgraded as part of the Andrews Labor Government’s $99 million investment to improve ambulance services across the state.
A visit to Tongala was next for the launch of new community health services which have been relocated from a rented house to a new central hub, meaning more people can access more services close to home.
Kyabram residents will also benefit from the opening of four new additions at Kyabram District Health Service to boost access to vital radiology services, cancer care and community health services.
This includes a new cutting edge computerised tomography scanner, which has been averaging about 10 scans a day, and a $460,000 same day oncology service, which includes a four chair oncology unit.
Finally, Kyabram’s new Health and Wellbeing Centre will deliver range of consulting services with 14 new consulting rooms, four treatment rooms, dedicated telehealth rooms, a new physio facility and gym, and a new main entry, café, lounge and sitting areas.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Jill Hennessy
“We’re working hard to build a healthier and fairer system that will meet the demands of the future here in Echuca, Tongala and Kyabram.”
“We want to see Victorians treated sooner and waiting lists reduce – that’s why we’ve invested an extra $1.38 billion in our hospitals so we can better meet increasing demand, expand and improve services and care, and reduce waiting times.”
“These new facilities are state-of-the-art and will mean more local families will be able to access the health services they need, closer to home.”
Reviewed 10 February 2021