Patients across the west of Melbourne will benefit from some great news in this year's Victorian State Budget, with the announcement by the Minister for Health, The Hon Jill Hennessy, that Western Health will receive $61.3 million.
The Minister visited Sunshine Hospital the day after the State Budget announcement to meet with staff and patients.
The funds include the $17 million announced by the Minister for urgent maintenance at Footscray Hospital and the next stage of planning for an eventual rebuild of the south block on that site.
With demands on the health service rapidly increasing, the State Budget funding will also enable Western Health to establish an additional 64 beds at Sunshine Hospital.
Pressure on bed numbers is intense and the number of patients coming through the emergency department at Sunshine Hospital is climbing steeply.
Kitchen facilities at Sunshine Hospital will be upgraded to allow for the increased patient numbers and works will commence on extra loading dock capacity as well.
The additional funding is fantastic news for the west as it is always extremely challenging to meet the vast demands for improved health infrastructure and this funding demonstrates the Andrews Government's strong commitment to responding to areas of greatest need.
