Five new doctors and five nurses will soon be on standby at Werribee Mercy’s emergency department after the state government moved to inject more capacity into the busy hospital.
Last month the government committed $1.64 million towards three new treatment areas and the extra emergency health workers.
Mercy Health’s chief executive of health services Dr Linda Mellors said the hospital is thrilled to be receiving the funding.
“The additional funding is expected to support the timely handover of patients arriving by ambulance, which will improve patient flow through the ED,” Dr Mellors said.
It will also improve the timeliness of access to care and reduce the overall length of time patients spend in emergency, she said.
Werribee MP Tim Pallas agreed, saying moving patients out of the emergency department and into hospital beds was a key to efficient health care.
“[This means] more patients get the treatment they need sooner, and when they need it,” he said.
In a typical 24-hour period, between 100 and 120 people present to Werribee Mercy’s emergency department for help.
Health minister Jill Hennessy said the latest investment would also free up ambulances and get paramedics back on the road more quickly.
