Children and families in Melbourne’s west will have a brand new emergency department at Sunshine Hospital, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Health Jill Hennessy joined Member for St Albans Natalie Suleyman to make the $29.6 million announcement while celebrating the milestone ‘topping out’ of the new Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital next door.
The redevelopment of Sunshine Hospital will see an extra 31 treatment spaces in the emergency department, a separate children’s section, a medical imaging suite and an expanded administration area.
Once complete, the hospital will have capacity to treat an extra 59,000 emergency patients every year.
Of the new treatment spaces, nine will be dedicated to caring for kids, meaning an additional 19,700 children will be treated in this purpose-built emergency department.
In the next decade, the population of Melbourne’s west is expected to grow by around 50 per cent, so we’re investing today to make sure local families get the care they need, close to home – now and into the future.
The new and expanded emergency department will be completed by early 2021. The redevelopment will also create 88 construction jobs, and once the project is complete, up to 130 extra ongoing full-time equivalent positions.
Meanwhile, the Labor Government is getting on with building a state-of-the-art $200 million Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital, to meet rising demand for maternity and paediatric services in the west.
When complete, the world-class hospital will give Western Health the room it needs to grow, with the number of births on-site expected to exceed 7,000 a year by 2026.
While the Liberals cut $1 billion from our health system and failed to plan for growth, we’re making the right investments to make sure every Victorian patient can get the care they need.
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“We want to give local families peace of mind that in an emergency, they’ll get the care they need – right on their doorstep. A bigger, better Sunshine emergency department will deliver just that.”
“With a dedicated area just for kids, parents can be confident that they if the worst happens, their child will get the expert care and attention they need.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
"Joan Kirner fought passionately to improve healthcare for the west, so it’s fitting that her legacy will live on as part of this world class hospital.”
Quote attributable to Member for St Albans Natalie Suleyman
“The Sunshine and Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s hospitals will ensure local families get the best care in the best facilities, close to home."
Reviewed 19 August 2020