A sister campus to the Northern Hospital will be built in Mernda should the Liberal and National parties win the November 26 state election.
Liberal leader Matt Guy has pledged $300 million to build the Plenty Valley Hospital. Mr Guy said the Mernda Community Hospital, currently being built by Labor, would be repurposed to deliver stage one of the Plenty Valley hospital.
He said the new hospital would relieve pressure on Northern Hospital in Epping.
A Liberal and Nationals statement said facilities to be provided at a first stage of the Plenty Valley Hospital will include an urgent care centre with a dedicated children’s treatment area; general surgical facilities;
a day surgery centre; 100 hospital beds; a maternity ward; specialist radiology, imaging and pathology diagnostics; day medical services including renal dialysis and chemotherapy;
geriatric support and assessment including a transition care program; a specialist palliative care unit; and a community public dental clinic.
It is envisaged that as the population across the City of Whittlesea continues to rapidly expand over the next 20 years, a second stage of the new hospital at Mernda, with a full emergency department and additional beds, will be necessary and the design of the first stage hospital will fully allow for future expansion, the statement said.
“This significant commitment is a real solution to deliver a world-class health service in the heart of Melbourne’s outer north-east,” Mr Guys said,
Liberal candidate for Yan Yean, Richard Welch, said this vital upgrade would mean better healthcare, closer to home for Whittlesea and surrounding communities.
“We are taking the existing community hospital proposal and upsizing it to provide the real solutions that our growing community need,” he said.
“This commitment is an important part of the Liberals and Nationals’ plan to fix Victoria’s healthcare crisis and will help give Whittlesea locals the health services they deserve.”
