THE first section of the $813 million Northern Hospital redevelopment has been completed, with the doors opened last Monday to the new Ambulatory Care Centre.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll visited the centre, and the opening marks the completion of the first stage.
The centre is a dedicated building that will deliver a range of specialist outpatient services, including allied health, pathology, respiratory medicine and dialysis.
It will support hardworking healthcare workers to deliver high quality care to patients that don’t need to stay overnight. With the new centre complete, work can now start on the next stage – a bigger, better emergency department and a new inpatient tower.
On track for completion in 2029, the expansion will support an additional 30,000 emergency patients each year and includes 200 treatment spaces including extra inpatient beds, a dedicated paediatric zone, a specialised mental health and alcohol and other drugs hub and an emergency observation unit.
Mr Carroll said it was a win for families in the region.
“The Northern ED is one of Victoria’s busiest. That’s why we’re making sure families get better access to world-class care, closer to home,” he said. State Member for Yan Yean Lauren Kathage said it was a great milestone. “This is such an exciting milestone and means we are well on the way to delivering a new, world-class ED for the community in the north,” she said.