Michelle Slater
LATROBE Regional Hospital structural works have been finished as part of stage three of a $223 million expansion that is on track to be in operation by early 2024.
With structural construction now complete, work can now start on the hospital facade and internal fit-out.
The multi-storey project includes a recently announced Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Hub.
LRH chief executive Don McRae said the stage three expansion would bring all the acute care services into one location, making the hospital more efficient.
Mr McRae said it meant that LRH would have 10 operating suites, 16 critical care beds, 64 acute surgical beds and new medical imaging and pathology.
Once complete, the expansion will allow for an additional 6200 elective surgeries per year.
He said the expansion also included new maternity services with a six-bed birth suite, adult in-patient beds, special-care nursery and a one-bed paediatric unit with family spaces and children’s play area.
“For our community and the Gippsland region, it means better health care facilities and expanded health services close to home,” Mr McCrae said.
“Plus more employment opportunities with an estimated additional 200 full-time equivalent employees required across a number of disciplines to deliver the expanded services.”
The project is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in partnership with Latrobe Regional Hospital and Built.
Stages 1 and 2 have already been completed with the Gippsland Regional Cancer Centre, a new emergency department, a cardiac catheterisation lab and two new medical in-patient units.
The expansion consists of more than 20,000 cubic metres of concrete, 640 tonnes of structural steel, 2500 tonnes of steel reinforcement and 180,000 bricks, providing 600 construction jobs.
The Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, said the expansion was taking shape and meant Latrobe Regional Hospital could meet the needs of a growing community.
“Increased capacity and purpose-built treatment spaces will ensure patients don’t need to travel to Melbourne for complex procedures,” Ms Thomas said.
