- Published:
- Friday 19 October 2018
Central Victorians will be able to access the very best care close to home with a re-elected Andrews Labor Government to build a Bendigo Hospital day rehabilitation centre for people recovering from accidents, injuries and illnesses.
We said we’d deliver a world class Bendigo Hospital for Central Victorians, and we have. The new Bendigo Hospital opened this year with 372 inpatient beds, 72 same-day beds, 11 operating theatres and an integrated cancer centre, along with a bigger maternity unit, 80-bed mental health unit, hotel and childcare centre.
It’s the largest hospital redevelopment in regional Victoria’s history and has made Bendigo Hospital the most technologically advanced in regional Australia. There’s more to do and only Labor will continue to deliver the very best, affordable public hospital care for Central Victorians.
Premier Daniel Andrews today joined Minister for Health Jill Hennessy, Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan, and Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards to announce $60 million for a new Bendigo Hospital day rehabilitation centre, under a re-elected Labor Government.
The new centre will bring together health services such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, speech therapy, prosthetics and orthotics, clinical psychology and neuropsychology, which are currently spread out across the different locations on the hospital grounds.
It means Central Victorians will be able to access a team of health professionals all in one place to help them recover from accidents, injuries and medical conditions, such as a stroke or heart attack.
It will also allow the safe demolition of the old East and North Wing tower buildings, which will be returned to green open space.
The project will create around 180 construction jobs, with a re-elected Labor Government to start work in 2021 and the new rehabilitation centre is expected to be completed by 2023.
The Victorian Liberals cut more than $1 billion out of our health system, leaving thousands of Victorians stuck on waiting lists. Only Labor will deliver high quality, affordable public healthcare to Victorians.
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“Rehab can be a long and hard road – the last thing you need is to be running around to appointments all over the place. With this investment, Labor will make sure Central Victorians can get the very best care all in one place.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“This will give our hard-working health workers world-class rehabilitation facilities to provide the very best care to local patients and help them get back to their old life.”
Quote attributable to Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan
“We said we’d deliver the new Bendigo Hospital to give locals the very best care, and we have. With this investment, we’ll make sure locals recovering from accidents or injuries also have the best rehab services.”
Quote attributable to Member for Bendigo Maree Edwards
“This will allow the old cream brick towers to be safely demolished and create green open space so patients and their families have somewhere to get outside together and get some fresh air.”