$25m hospital facelift open

By Bridget Cook
DANDENONG Hospital’s redeveloped and expanded emergency department was completed last week.
The facility was officially opened last Wednesday by Health Minister Daniel Andrews, with the help of former paediatric patient Zachary.
The new department has undergone a $25-million facelift, funded by the State Government.
Southern Health chief executive Shelly Park said the redevelopment would add significantly to the care being offered.
“Dandenong Hospital not only is one of our major hospitals, but plays a key role in delivering overall state-wide health needs,” Ms Park said.
“Dandenong Emergency Department is one of the state’s busiest, handling almost 50,000 presentations in the 2009 to 2010 financial year.
“The need to expand and redevelop the Dandenong emergency department was obvious. With more families than ever moving to the south-east, the demand on services is ever-growing.”
Southern Health’s director of emergency medicine Professor George Braitberg said the expansion would increase the major emergency department’s capacity from 35 to 55 treatment spaces, including a 20-bed short-stay unit, additional theatres and a day surgery area.
Mr Andrews said the expansion would mean an additional 5000 patients every year could receive treatment.
“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,” he said.
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.”