THE money keeps coming for Geelong in the last days of the state election campaign, with Labor pledging $100 million to build a women\u2019s and children\u2019s hospital in the city.<\/p>\n
Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Health Jill Hennessy visited University Hospital Geelong on Saturday to make the election commitment.<\/p>\n
It follows an earlier investment of $10 million to identify options to transform Geelong Private Hospital \u2013 which closed in June – into a public women\u2019s and children\u2019s hospital.<\/p>\n
The pledge will go towards stage 1 of the project, funding further detailed planning and design and early construction, converting the site into a new hospital that will deliver more maternity and paediatric services for Geelong.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a parent, I know that having kids is both a magical and a stressful time,\u201d Mr Andrews said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly Labor will build a world-class Geelong Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Hospital, so that more local mums can have their babies closer to home.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly Labor will get this hospital done. We\u2019ve already started on the planning, but there\u2019s more to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Hennessy said the closure of Geelong Private Hospital was \u201ca big blow for the community\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve stood with local nurses and other healthcare staff \u2013 and now we\u2019re standing with patients too.\u201d<\/p>\n
In May, Geelong Private Hospital owner Healthscope notified employees at the Ryrie Street hospital as well as Cotham Private Hospital in Kew that management had decided to close both facilities.<\/p>\n
Healthscope announced it had completed a review of the 45 hospitals in its portfolio, which found \u201cthere was a need for rationalisation of the company\u2019s Victorian hospital portfolio, which has underperformed relative to the rest of the group\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE money keeps coming for Geelong in the last days of the state election campaign, with Labor pledging $100 million to build a women\u2019s and children\u2019s hospital in the city. Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Health Jill Hennessy visited University Hospital Geelong on Saturday to make the election commitment. It follows an earlier investment […]<\/p>\n