By Holly McGuinness
The Northern Hospital will be upgraded if the Labor Party wins the state election later this year.
The Labor Party announced on Tuesday that if it’s successful at the November election that the Epping hospital would be significantly upgraded and expanded,
The government will spend more than $770 million on a new emergency department, with 70 additional treatment spaces, including a dedicated alcohol and other drugs treatment hub and a new tower building with 100 inpatient beds.
The emergency department would be moved to Cooper Street and increase space for emergency inpatients to almost 200 at any one time with work to begin the next term of government.
A dedicated space for families attending the emergency department will be included in the new building to ease stress on parents and create a less overwhelming environment for children.
The Northern Hospital has the busiest emergency department in Victoria.
The funding announcement was part of a bigger announcement for hospital upgrades in Melbourne’s north.
The Austin Hospital will receive an investment of $250 to $300 million, with an additional 29 emergency treatment spaces will be built.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said, “The Austin and the Northern have two of the busiest emergency departments in Victoria, and that demand will continue to grow as our northern suburbs do.”
