By PETER DOUGLAS
WORKS are set to begin on Angliss Hospital’s highly anticipated $20 million expansion, which will include a new intensive care unit and short-stay unit.
Stakeholders met at the hospital on Tuesday 9 August, where it was announced Kane Constructions was awarded the tender for the project, which aims to reduce the pressure on the emergency department, as well as improve services for the community.
The project also includes refurbishment of the paediatric-emergency and short-stay area, with the number of existing paediatric short-stay beds set to double.
Two dedicated mental health spaces will also be included in the emergency department, while Eastern Health has also received funding for a new adult intensive care bed.
Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy and Monbulk MP James Merlino were among the dignitaries to attend the official announcement, which fulfils an election promise for the State Government.
Ms Hennessy paid tribute to the work required to reach this stage, including from the Eastern Health executive team and Kane Constructions.
“Eastern Health has a spectacular reputation around providing terrific clinical care to the community that it serves,” she said.
“Its clinicians are some of the best in the state … everyone in this room should feel extremely proud of the service they’re providing.
“So, we were really delighted at the last State Election to provide a $20 million commitment to enable us to build intensive care and critical care facilities right here at this campus.”
Ms Hennessy said Kane Constructions had a proven track record of building state-of-the-art hospital projects such as the Austin Health short stay unit, University Hospital Geelong upgrades, the St John of God Hospital redevelopment in Bendigo and the new Swan Hill District Health aged care facility.
“They’ve done terrific work … right across the state, they have a really good reputation in the health care sector,” she said.
“The government feels really confident, that in conjunction with all other project partners … that we’re going to provide a model of care that can provide services closer to home.”
Ms Hennessy said the ultimate aim was to create a sense of belonging in the community in relation to their local health service.
“We want people to be able to access as many services as they can close to home,” she said.
“We want those to be quality and safe services.”
At the announcement, Mr Merlino said Angliss Hospital shared a special place among many in the community.
“There is something quite unique about Angliss Hospital, it really does have a genuine connection to the local community,” he said.
“During campaign season, when I’m out doorknocking, people talk about the hospital.
“People talk about the fact that their children were born there, they (themselves) were born there, the great service they received.”
Mr Merlino said the hospital had come a long way since talk of its closure.
“Not so long ago, just the turn of the century, this place was slated for closure as a hospital,” he said.
“We should never forget that, as a community, it was slated to be reduced to a community health facility.
“When you think about the investments that have been made over that period … local residents (should be) really proud about that.”
Both Mr Merlino and Ms Hennessy highlighted that construction could impact hospital operations, though they are confident this will be minimal.
