Consultation opens on hospital upgrades

COMMUNITY members have until Monday, 18 October to share their thoughts on the multimillion-dollar Ballarat Base Hospital redevelopment.

Public input is being collected to inform the final designs of indoor and outdoor areas of the site, including waiting rooms and gardens.

Member for Buninyong, Michaela Settle, encouraged local residents to have their say on the project.

“We want to hear from you about the things that are important to you, like hospital access, gardens, private spaces or comfortable waiting rooms,” she said.

Construction on the almost $542 million State Government funded project is expected to start next year, with all works set to be completed in 2027.

The upgraded hospital will include a new emergency department, a women and children’s hub, a state-of-the-art theatre suite and an extra 100 inpatient and short stay beds.

It’s expected these changes will allow for an additional at least 18,000 emergency patients and 14,500 inpatients to receive care each year.

Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison, said the works would bolster the hospital’s facilities and benefit its healthcare workers.

“Our highly respected nurses and doctors do an outstanding job, and with this investment they’ll get the facilities they need to continue providing world class healthcare on our doorstep,” she said.

The latest public survey follows the establishment of a community consultative committee last year and more than 50 design development meetings and workshops with hospital staff, according to the State Government.

To have your say, visit bit.ly/3Ddml4e.