Cade Lucas
The new Footscray Hospital is a step closer to opening, with the construction of the Emergency Department (ED) now complete.
On Monday, Premier Jacinta Allan joined Health Infrastructure Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stittm Footscray MP Katie Hall and staff from Western Health for a tour of the new ED and to release new designs of the hospital’s interior.
Once operational, the new Footscray Hospital ED will have the capacity to treat more than 20,000 additional patients each year with more resuscitation bays, fast-track bays, and acute and short stay beds.
The purpose built facility also features a new Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Hub which Ms Stitt hailed as a major advancement in the treatment of related conditions.
“The new ED and a mental health and AOD hub will see us deliver on another recommendation from the Royal Commission – ensuring patients who need urgent care, can get tailored, specialised and fast-tracked treatment,” she said.
With the hospital’s external façade also complete, construction workers are now focused on the internal fit-out across the hospital site.
What parts of the internal fit-out will look like was revealed on November 18 with the release of new designs of the hospital’s main reception area, communal spaces, patient rooms and waiting areas.
Once complete the new Footscray Hospital will have more than 500 beds – an increase of nearly 200 from the existing hospital – allowing an estimated 15,000 additional patients to be treated each year as well as cutting wait times and reducing pressure on nearby hospitals.
“The new Footscray Hospital will mean more locals in the west can get the very best care they need, close to home,” Ms Allan said.
“Seeing this once-in-a-generation project almost finished is so exciting for our community,” added Ms Hall.
Since the start of construction, more than three million hours of work have been carried out and more than 150,000 tonnes of concrete has been poured onsite to complete the new hospital structure.
Delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in conjunction with Western Health, Plenary Health and Victoria University, major construction of the new Footscray Hospital is expected to be complete by late next year.
