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$25 MILLION DANDENONG EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT EXPANSION TO TREAT MORE PATIENTS Wednesday, 20 October 2010


$25 MILLION DANDENONG EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT EXPANSION TO TREAT MORE PATIENTS

From the Minister for Health

Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Families will soon have access to even better treatment with the Brumby Labor Government today marking the completion of expansion works at the Dandenong Hospital emergency department.

Health Minister Daniel Andrews and Member for Dandenong John Pandazopoulos toured the new department which has undergone a $25 million expansion.

“We are taking action to give Victorians a better health system by building new hospitals and hiring more doctors and nurses,” Mr Andrews said.

“That is why we delivered $25 million to expand Dandenong Hospital’s emergency department with an additional 20 treatment spaces to meet growing demand.

“The expansion will mean an additional 5000 patients every year can receive treatment when it opens later this year.”

Mr Andrews said the building phase of the expansion was complete.

“The new emergency department will be handed over to Southern Health in the coming weeks and will be commissioned over the rest of the year,” he said.

“It is expected to be fully operational and treating its first patients by the end of the year.”

Mr Andrews said the new and larger facility would increase the number of patient treatment spaces in the emergency department from 35 to 55.

“It will provide separate facilities for adults and children and improve comfort for patients with more single rooms,” he said.

“It also features better spaces to look after mental health patients.

“This bright and modern emergency department will ensure residents have access to the best and most comfortable emergency treatment possible, now and into the future.”

Construction of the emergency department created about 150 jobs.

Mr Pandazopoulos said the new emergency department would provide first class services for tens of thousands of patients every year.

“More than 47,600 patients attended the Dandenong Hospital’s emergency department last year, making it one of the busiest in the state,” Mr Pandazopoulos said.

Mr Andrews said the emergency department upgrade was part of a staged $153 million redevelopment of the hospital funded by the Brumby Labor Government.

“Work on the emergency department follows construction of a $20.5 million new West Wing in 2002, and a new four-storey South-West ward block in 2006, which provided 106 beds,” he said.

“The Brumby Labor Government has also committed $69 million for the development of 150 mental health beds at the hospital and up to $4.3 million for infrastructure works to upgrade the hospital’s energy supply.

“This upgrade is about ensuring all people living in Greater Dandenong and south-eastern Melbourne have access to high quality health services.”




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Last Updated: 20 October 2010
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