By JESSE GRAHAM
HEALESVILLE Hospital is on track to re-open early next year, with works underway to redevelop and rebuild the site by early 2017.
Tradies and construction workers are currently working at the Healesville and District Hospital site on Maroondah Highway, as part of the hospital’s $8.8 million redevelopment, announced in 2013.
On Thursday 17 March, the Mail toured the construction site with Eastern Health representatives, including manager of Capital Projects, Mark Hoffman.
Nearly every room in the hospital had been cleared of its contents, with walls and roofs removed to make way for upgrades.
Work had begun to each of the patient rooms to add ensuites, with small rooms jutting out from the originals, and Mr Hoffman said this was an improvement on the communal bathroom from the old hospital site.
He said the rooms would be a mix of single and double-bed rooms, with a total of 13 – formerly, some rooms held as many as four beds.
The old entrance to the hospital, meanwhile, has been completely demolished to make way for a “one-stop shop” entrance, which will allow for easier access to the different areas, including the Yarra Valley Community Health buildings at the rear of the site.
“Where there were different services, different entrances, now it’s a one-stop shop,” Mr Hoffman said.
“It’s a lot better. Services are linked … which, I think, has been needed over the years.
“I think the developments, for the community, the clients and patients, are a fantastic improvement.”
The old oak tree at the front of the hospital and the lemon tree at the back have been shielded from the works, with a fence erected around the latter to protect it during renovation.
CICG (Commercial Industrial Construction Grouo) is overseeing the works at the hospital, and representative, Jaco Korff, told the Mail that some local contractors were involved in the works.
Mr Hoffman said the former surgical theatre was being into a gym, while a larger “theatre complex” was being established nearby.
The new theatre in the making had a concrete slab with wooden frames, and was notably larger than the former site. Mr Hoffman said the space had been increased by “a third”, with an extra recovery bay.
The new theatre will have six renal dialysis chairs and the new entrance as the main features of the redevelopment, which will be completed in early 2017.
