March 11, 2015

New critical care services for sunshine hospital

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Mary-Anne Thomas, representing the Minister for Health Jill Hennessy, officially opened the $29.28 million redevelopment of Sunshine Hospital, which will provide Melbourne’s West with world-class emergency care closer to home.

The redevelopment features a state-of-the-art intensive care unit, two cutting edge cardiac catheterisation laboratories, a coronary care unit, a renal dialysis unit, and medical imaging services featuring an angiography suite, CT scanner and ultrasound.

The Brumby Labor Government began rebuilding Sunshine Hospital in 2007, delivering $184 million to upgrade the Hospital’s central sterilising supply department and maternity ward, build a new four-bunker radiotherapy facility and the Western Centre for Health Research and Education, as well as a new four-level inpatient building.

This latest redevelopment means Sunshine Hospital now offers the full range of critical care services.

The project included an expansion of the Hospital’s maternity services with five additional labour deliver rooms, and, with an ICU now on site, mothers needing critical care will no longer have to be transferred to another hospital and separated from their baby.

Sunshine Hospital has the third highest number of births in Victoria, with 5,100 babies delivered in the last 12 months.

The expansion will also see some services move to Sunshine Hospital from Footscray Hospital, including cancer, stroke, cardiology, neurology and respiratory services and other medical specialists.Intensive care and major surgery will continue to operate from Footscray Hospital.

The Andrews Labor Government understands the growing demands in Melbourne’s west and has committed $200 million to build the Western Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Sunshine.

Once completed, this new hospital in the West will free up beds and theatre space at Sunshine Hospital so it can perform up to 7,000 more operations each year and support other vital services including cancer, subacute care and rehabilitation.

Quotes attributable to the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas
"Melbourne’s West is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia, and with this latest expansion, Sunshine Hospital is now the number one hospital for acute care in the west."

"This redevelopment means that residents of Melbourne’s West have access to vital critical care, closer to home."

"This is particularly special for new mothers needing critical care, because they won’t have to be separated from their babies anymore."

Media Contact: Evelyn Ek 0412 887 853 | evelyn.ek@minstaff.vic.gov.au

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