Budget cash for hospital

Werribee Mercy Hospital. Photo by Damjan Janevski. 209276_10

By Alesha Capone

An expanded emergency department is on the cards for Werribee Mercy Hospital after the state government announced $4.8 million to plan for the third stage of the its development.

Mercy Health Group chief executive Stephen Cornelissen welcomed the funding injection, which was included in the 2020-21 state budget.

Adjunct Professor Cornelissen said the hospital would need $300 million to build the third stage.

He said that for Wyndham residents to “receive the level and quality of health services they deserve and need” construction of the third stage needed to commence within the next three years.

“With the population growth at its current rate, it’s projected by 2026, our emergency department presentations will have increased by more than 107 per cent,” Adjunct Professor Cornelissen.

“We have 15 cubicles in our existing emergency department, many of which are frequently occupied by patients waiting for mental health inpatient placement or community transfer.

“We are also treating increasingly more complex health issues at our hospital as a result of having an Intensive Care Unit.

“At times, though, we cannot provide care for patients at Werribee Mercy Hospital because we do not yet have the specialist services required to treat certain conditions.”

Adjunct Professor Cornelissen said it was anticipated that the third stage would include an expanded emergency department and short-stay department with satellite medical imaging.

The third stage would also include increased capacity for maternity and birthing services, a special care nursery and a postnatal inpatient ward.

Renal services would be expanded too, including six additional dialysis chairs.

The third stage would include space for improved outpatient clinics, a modern pathology laboratory and pharmacy and more diagnostic endoscopy rooms.

“Expansion will also improve our capacity to retain and attract some of Australia’s most skilled doctors and nurses to support the establishment of other health services in the west,” Adjunct Professor Cornelissen said.