June 2004

New ward, theatres at Northern Hospital

The Government has responded to the growing population of Melbourne’s outer northern suburbs with a major expansion of the Northern Hospital.

Officially opening the $12.7 million Stage 1 redevelopment of the hospital, Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said the Government wanted to ensure that services were provided where communities needed them.

She said the Government had also made a commitment for a further $23 million expansion in the future, as the region’s population continued to grow.

Stage 1 comprises two extra theatres, a new 32-bed surgical ward, an expanded day procedure unit and an upgraded sterilising and supply department.

The work also included a GP clinic and a short-stay unit.

‘The Government provided the funding for the Stage 1 redevelopment to ensure the Northern Hospital met the hospital and health needs of the region’s community through the next few years.

‘The extra theatres and extra ward will enable Northern Hospital to treat more patients.’

Ms Pike said the latest Hospital Services Report showed the Northern Hospital was playing an important role in the ongoing improvement of the hospital system and the expansion would further expand its impact.

Key performance statistics from the Northern Hospital included:

• 1,494 waiting list patients given their elective surgery in the December quarter 2003—up from 1,290 in the December quarter 2002.

• Elective surgery waiting list down by six per cent from December quarter 2002 to December quarter 2003—from 2,680 to 2,519.

• Drop in urgent category elective surgery waiting list from September quarter 2003 to December quarter 2003—from 41 to 27.

• Total number of patients admitted to Northern Hospital increased by 7.5 per cent from December quarter 2002 to December quarter 2003—from 7,165 to 7,704.

• 14,921 patients treated in emergency department in December quarter 2003—up by 21.2 per cent on the 12,309 patients treated in the December 2002 quarter.

• No instances of hospital bypass by ambulances in the December 2003 quarter—down from 16 cases in the September quarter 2003.

Ms Pike said the Government provided an initial $3 million in the last State Budget to buy land for the Northern’s Stage 2 expansion and the rest of the funding was now being considered.