The Andrews Labor Government is making sure more people in Melbourne’s west get the care they need close to home, with a brand new hospital to be built in Melton to provide more health services for the local community, as a part of our Pandemic Repair Plan.
The new hospital is being funded with more than $900 million in the Victorian Budget 2022/23 – supporting the growing and diverse communities of Caroline Springs, Rockbank, Melton and Bacchus Marsh.
The hospital will be Victoria’s first to be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. It will create more than 700 direct jobs and 1,700 indirect jobs during construction.
The hospital will provide a new education and training hub for doctors and nurses in Melbourne’s west. Its operations are expected to generate 3,975 direct jobs on-site in its first full year of operations, including medical and nursing staff, allied health professionals, technicians and administrative and facilities management staff.
It will also generate 2,485 indirect jobs in surrounding health-related services and other businesses.
The new hospital will be built at 245-267 Ferris Road, Cobblebank and will include a 24-hour emergency department, more than 100 medical and surgical beds, an intensive care unit, maternity and neonatal services, more mental health services, radiology services and ambulatory care.
This will allow almost 130,000 patient presentations each year, as well as almost 60,000 patients to be seen in the emergency department.
The site is located within the future Cobblebank Metropolitan Activity Centre and close to the Cobblebank train station, and Western Freeway.
It will also provide an essential link with services at other public hospitals in the western region – including Sunshine Hospital and the new Footscray Hospital.
Planning for the new Melton Hospital is well underway, with council and utility authorities engaged to support the delivery of new precinct infrastructure required for the new hospital.
The landmark project is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) and Western Health, which will operate the hospital. Construction is expected to start in 2024 and be finished by 2029.
The new Melton hospital builds on other new hospitals being built in Melbourne’s west, with the new Footscray Hospital – which is the state’s largest ever health infrastructure investment in one site – set to open in 2025.
The Pandemic Repair Plan will mean training and hiring up to 7,000 healthcare workers – including 5,000 nurses – as well as adding nearly 400 new staff to increase Triple Zero call taking and dispatch capacity for Triple Zero services.
As stated by Premier Daniel Andrews
“We’re getting on with delivering a new 24-hour public hospital right here in Melton so locals can get the very best care, closer to home – when they need it most.”
“This will not only give people access to the best care, but it will create thousands of jobs during construction and when the hospital opens.
As stated by Minister for Health Martin Foley
“Melton is one of the fastest growing communities in Australia and that’s why we’re building a world-class hospital, with first-class facilities that will transform the outer west into a major centre for jobs, healthcare and education.”
As stated by Member for Melton Steve McGhie
“This new hospital will be located close to public transport, the Western Freeway and recreational facilities – making it easier for residents in the west to access world-class healthcare.”
