By JESSE GRAHAM
SURGERY is set to return to Healesville Hospital, along with additional services following an announcement of $7.8 million for the hospital’s expansion.
The announcement was made by Minister for Health David Davis at Healesville Hospital on Monday 23 September, who said the funding is set to expand the services at the hospital.
“This project will mean additional health services for the Healesville community now and into the future,” he said.
The renal dialysis unit will have six chairs, with the capacity to upgrade to nine in the future.
Mr Davis said the allocation means that more than 200 additional surgical, endoscopy and gynaecological procedures will be performed annually.
Healesville resident and Save Healesville Hospital Action Group (SHHAG) member Kirsten Gentle said the funding was a fantastic announcement.
“We are extremely ecstatic – it’s fantastic to see that, since the 2022 plan, that we have surgery back and dialysis, which are the two key areas we wanted,” she said.
“The minister has shown commitment to the hospital’s future, not just for the next five or ten years – Healesville deserves a hospital for decades to come and we’re really excited about that.”
The funding will also result in an expansion of the community health centre at the hospital and the establishment of new consulting suites.
Healesville Hospital’s specialist clinic will also be able to offer more than 300 additional appointments for cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology and respiratory services.
A new maternity model has also been established for the hospital, which Seymour MP Cindy McLeish said will provide expectant mothers with antenatal and postnatal care.
Eastern Health CEO Alan Lilly said he was thrilled about the announcement, which will mean residents can access services closer to home.
He said that a return for birthing at the hospital may be possible in the future.
“At the moment, we’ve strengthened our antenatal and postnatal services to support people in their homes,” he said.
“If the needs of the community change and there is a demand for the birthing services we provide, there’s no obstacle to that occurring in the future.”
Mr Davis said that funding for the expansion of the hospital will come from previously committed money, along with money from the Rural Capital Support Fund and funding from Eastern Health.
A timeline for the expansion of the hospital and the opening of services has not been set.
Mrs Gentle said that SHHAG had a meeting with Mr Davis in the near future about the hospital’s future.
