A Tarneit man is petitioning the state government to build a hospital in the suburb, amid fears the population growth is outpacing health services in the area.
Petitioner Aijaz Moinuddin said a hospital is desperately needed to provide an alternative to Werribee Mercy for residents in Wyndham’s north.
“A local hospital would mean people get treated sooner and take the pressure off the already struggling hospitals,” Mr Moinuddin said.
He said Werribee Mercy is already “bursting at the seams”.
“I’ve seen it first-hand — my family had to wait about three hours just to see a doctor, and the nurse told us that was one of the quicker days,” he said.
Mr Moinuddin said only a hospital with a 24-hour emergency department would suffice.
“A small community hospital is good for minor issues, but it can’t handle serious emergencies or big operations,” he said.
“With how many people live here now –and how many more are coming – we need the real thing.
“We really need the funding locked in now so planning can start straight away. If it’s not built and ready by 2028 or if it’s delayed, it’ll already be too small for what we need.”
Mr Moinuddin said that Werribee, Sunshine and Footscray hospitals are not feasible alternatives long-term.
“People say those hospitals are in close distance, but that’s not the reality when you factor in traffic. Leakes Road, Derrimut Road, and the freeway can be choked at peak times.
“In an emergency, every minute counts, and those extra delays can make a bad situation worse. Plus, the average wait time is a complete example of a broken health system.”
A state government spokesperson said doubling the emergency department at Werribee Mercy, expanding the Werribee Urgent Care Clinic and building hospitals in Footscray and Melton are part of the fix.
“We’ve just delivered a $9.3 billion funding boost for our public hospitals and across Victoria we have a $15 billion pipeline of health infrastructure projects.
“We will always work with local communities to understand their health needs and how best to support them.”
Petition: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/public-hospital-in-tarneit/
