The facade of the new Footscray Hospital is now finished, following the completion of fitting the exterior glass panels.
The state government said 7,500 glass panels were craned into place, each weighing more than 500 kilograms. The panels have been designed to allow in natural light, creating a welcoming atmosphere for patients, families and staff.
Now that the exterior is complete, work will now turn to green spaces and street entries which are expected to take form over the coming months.
In a media release, the state government said more than three million hours of work have now been carried out on the site as the focus moves to the internal fit-out for each of the hospital’s five buildings.
The new hospital will be operated by Western Health and have more than 500 beds, to allow for the treatment of almost 15,000 extra patients and allowing almost 20,000 extra people to be seen by the emergency department each year.
Delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in partnership with Western Health, Plenary Health and Victoria University, the new hospital is on track to open in 2025 and offer more more outpatient, mental health, palliative care and surgical services.
Health Infrastructure Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said, “This hospital will bring world-class care to local families and provide our hardworking doctors, nurses and allied health staff with the latest, state-of-the-art equipment and spaces they need to keep people healthy.”
“Construction on the new Footscray Hospital continues to make significant progress, delivering bigger and better health infrastructure for Melbourne’s west,“ she said.
Footscray MP Katie Hall said this once-in-a-generation investment will support the increasing demand from the western suburbs.
“Our hardworking healthcare workers deserve world-class modern facilities to do what they do best – keep local families healthy and save lives, ensuring families can get the care they need closer to home.“
