Construction on a state-of-the-art $230 million Bairnsdale Hospital will commence, along with significant upgrades to Maffra Hospital, under a Liberal and Nationals Government.
Stage one of the Bairnsdale Regional Health Service (BRHS) rebuild will feature an increased capacity Emergency Department, all new wards, first class facilities for visiting specialists and a helipad on top of the building.
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, said the Liberals and Nationals were making significant investment in rural health across the length and breadth of the state.
“We see health as a higher priority than the Box Hill to Cheltenham rail line and that is why we are reallocating all of those funds to fixing our health crisis,” Ms Crozier said.
“I have been a regular visitor to this region for many years and every time I travel here I can see the growth and understand that our health facilities need to keep pace with that.”
The Nationals Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, said the Bairnsdale hospital will be an entirely new hospital once complete.
“I have been working closely with the BRHS Board on this and they have done a terrific job with master planning and detailed costings. It really is an exciting commitment for the region and I can’t think of a more pressing and important need,” Mr Bull said.
BRHS Board Chair, Chris Barry, said the proposed redevelopment will provide the community with health and medical services well into the future.
“The new facility will be able to be built on the existing site with minimal disruption to current and future services,” Mr Barry said.
Mr Bull also announced $6.1 million for upgrades to the Maffra Hospital.
“I have been working with the Central Gippsland Health Service (CGHS) since early this year on their needs for the Maffra Hospital, the detailed costings I have seen amounted to $6.1 million,” Mr Bull said.
“Yet the Andrews Labor Government blindsided the health service in a press conference he made more than 200km away in Wantirna, announcing pie in the sky funding.
“The Liberals and Nationals are provide the funding that will see real solutions for our health services, reining in Labor’s irresponsible spending and shelving the $35 billion Box Hill to Cheltenham rail line.”
