Community
13 August, 2023
Hospital upgrade on track
THE delivery of a $384 million upgrade of Warrnambool Base Hospital is on track as the new, off-site Regional Logistics Distribution Centre (RLDC) nears completion.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas today visited the site of the new facility which will provide laundry services and a modern healthcare supply and logistics warehouse for more than 50 health providers across Western Victoria.
“The state-of-the-art Regional Logistics Distribution Centre will provide crucial healthcare supply and logistics services for more than 50 health providers in Western Victoria,” she said.
“Construction of this new facility brings us a step closer to delivering the massive Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment and providing people in south west Victoria with access to the care they need, close to home.”
The relocation of functional services to the new purpose-built facility will free up space on site at Warrnambool Base Hospital for construction of the massive redevelopment, which represents one of the largest health infrastructure investments in rural Victoria.
The redevelopment will transform services at the hospital, delivering a new multi-story clinical services tower, a bigger emergency department, an extra 22 inpatient beds, more operating theatres, dedicated areas for pathology services and dialysis and more carparking for staff, patients and visitors.
Western Victoria MP Jacinta Ermacora said the upgrades would build the health service the community deserved.
“Victoria’s western district deserves the best healthcare available, this new facility nearing completion is further progress towards a bigger and better Warrnambool Hospital for our communities,” she said.
“This new Regional Logistics Distribution Centre is a massive addition to our region, helping provide important services to our excellent health providers.”
More than 220 workers, including 12 apprentices and trainees, have completed a combined 35,000 hours of work on the RLDC site, paving the way for the fit-out of the interior to begin.
More than half of the trades and materials used on-site have been sourced locally or regionally with the new facility on track to be completed in December.
The new building will also include a range of sustainability features, including smart rainwater capture, a solar power system and electric vehicle charging stations.
The Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment was expected to be completed in 2027.
Site preparations are on track to start at the hospital later this year.
