- Published:
- Friday 2 February 2018
Gippsland residents now have better access to world class care on their doorstep with the $73 million redevelopment of Latrobe Regional Hospital fully complete and open to patients.
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy today joined Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing to officially open the massive upgrade, which also features the region’s first ever catheterisation laboratory for cardiac surgery.
It provides better access, more services and state-of-the-art medical equipment to meet the growing healthcare needs of the Gippsland community, now and into the future.
The project features a new emergency department, doubling the previous capacity, a 12-bed short stay unit, 60-bed acute in-patient ward, two endoscopy rooms and new main entrance and drop off area.
Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratories – known as ‘cath labs’ – are used for lifesaving heart procedures such as stenting, angiography, inserting pacemakers and implantable defibrillators.
Instead of being transferred to Melbourne, more Gippsland patients with cardiovascular disease can get the cardiac surgery they need quicker and closer to home while also saving on travel and accommodation costs.
The Andrews Labor Government’s Victorian Budget 2017/18 includes $2 billion in health and ambulance services, delivering better, safer and more services for Victorians.
In 2017/18, Latrobe Regional Hospital will receive $209.58 million in Labor Government funding, up by $25.8 million, or 14.1 per cent, on the previous year.
We have also delivered $2.6 million to expand the hospital’s special care nursery and maternity ward, due to be completed early next year. It will deliver an extra four special care nursery cots, an extra paediatric bed and three extra maternity, gynaecology and obstetrics beds.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“We are making sure more Victorians – no matter where they live – get the care they need faster.”
“Latrobe Regional Hospital is the largest hospital in the region. Doctors and nurses here now have the modern facilities they deserve and need to deliver outstanding care, with capacity to cater for ever increasing demand.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“We are putting regional patients first. Our investments in Gippsland will see more patients access the safe, high quality care and surgeries they need, sooner.”