Werribee Mercy Hospital is set to receive a long-awaited expansion, following an $85 million funding injection from the state government.
The money, announced in Tuesday’s state budget, will allow the hospital to go ahead with its plan to build six operating theatres and add 64 general beds, including eight for critical care patients.
The expansion will be housed in four storeys to be built above the Catherine McAuley Centre facing the Princes Highway.
The hospital will receive $2 million in 2015-16 with the rest of the funding to be delivered by 2018-19.
Mercy Health group chief executive adjunct professor Stephen Cornelissen said this was a much-needed investment in healthcare in Wyndham, with demand for health services in the city set to soar.
As reported by Star Weekly, the hospital is forced to transfer up to 90 patients every month from its emergency department to other hospitals with intensive, coronary and high-dependency services.
Adjunct professor Cornelissen said planning would start soon to ensure the expansion is delivered as quickly as possible.
“This is great news for the people of Wyndham and surrounding communities,” he said.
“It is no surprise that more people are moving to the region but, as the population rises, so does the need for increased health infrastructure.”
The Werribee Hospital Foundation will contribute $2 million to the expansion.
Health Minister Jill Hennessy hailed the funding as one of the “key planks of the Labor government’s health capital program”.
“This is a budget for Victorian families that invests in hospitals, in health and in services,” she said.
“We are building and expanding hospitals to ensure that Victorians can get the care they need closer to home.”
Werribee Mercy Hospital has also been granted $15 million to continue expanding its mental health services.
The state budget also includes $7 million for Werribee Secondary College to finish its rebuild, one of the government’s pre-election pledges.
The school has crumbling buildings that date back to the 1930s and 1950s, which have been deemed fire hazards.
The government will also spend $12 million building tech schools across the state, including one in Wyndham. Tarneit P-9 College will receive $10 million in school infrastructure funding to complete its second stage, however neighbouring Tarneit Senior College missed out.
Wyndham will also benefit from a $50 million interface councils infrastructure fund. This fund helps Melbourne’s 10 interface councils with projects that improve the lives of families living in the outer suburbs.
Budget highlights
• Werribee Mercy Hospital expansion – $85 million
• Werribee Mercy Hospital mental health expansion
– $15 million
• Tarneit P-9 College stage two – $10 million
• Werribee Secondary College rebuild – $7 million
• A new tech school for Wyndham
• Wyndham to share in $50 million as part of interface councils infrastructure fund
Related
State budget funding saves Wyndham youth program
