By Suzanna Sheed MP
Our health facilities have improved dramatically in recent years with huge investment from the Victorian Government.
The GV Health hospital redevelopment is well underway with $229 million of works already completed. This means we now have a new emergency room with three resuscitation bays, two triage rooms, an ambulance triage area and interview room, waiting room, two isolation rooms with ensuites, a bariatric room, eight open cubicles, a mental health consultation room, and a forensic consultation room.
The hospital has a new dialysis unit and the new five-storey inpatient unit now contains the critical care unit, surgical unit, theatre and day surgery admission, two 32-bed inpatient wards, and four new theatre spaces. The new paediatric ward and special care nursery are stunning and will help many families care for their children locally. The maternity ward has undergone a complete refurbishment making the area comfortable for new mothers and their families.
A further $163 million was allocated in this year’s state budget to build a mental health hub and I was delighted that we finally received $25 million for a mother baby unit. This was something the community had been requesting for many years. The unit will support young parents at the beginning of their parenting journey and help them thrive in their new role. To have that service available locally rather than travelling to Melbourne makes a huge difference to new parents who are adjusting to a new life.
I am keen to see more funding in next year’s budget for further development of the hospital with a multi-level car park, an integrated cancer centre, a children and young people’s hub, and a replacement for the psychogeriatric nursing home Grutzner House.
