The Allan Labor Government is one step closer to delivering the new Melton Hospital, with critical site preparation works now complete and an innovative consultative design process part of the more than $900 million project.
Minister for Health Infrastructure Melissa Horne today showcased the hands-on design process which saw hundreds of Western Health staff help shape the design of the new hospital - with more than 60 design meetings and workshops, including over 20 immersive sessions at Big Plans Melbourne.
At Big Plans, frontline healthcare workers walked through full-scale projections of key hospital areas like birthing suites and emergency bays, testing how spaces would work in practice to best meet the needs of Melbourne's booming outer west.
By experiencing the hospital layout at a 1:1 scale, they were able to assess how teams will move, how patients will be treated and how services will connect.
Their real-time feedback to project managers and architects led to design refinements, such as relocating doors, resizing rooms, and adjusting layouts to improve workflow, safety and patient care, ensuring the hospital is purpose-built for operation and world class care from day one.
The New Melton Hospital will be Victoria's first fully electric hospital, meeting growing healthcare demand in the west and supporting the communities of Melton, Caroline Springs, Rockbank, Bacchus Marsh and Gisborne.
Located on Ferris Road, major construction will begin soon following the completion of early works.
On track for completion in 2029, the hospital will have the capacity to treat 130,000 patients each year and almost 60,000 patients in its emergency department.
It will also reduce waiting times at other busy Melbourne hospitals and provide an essential link with services at Sunshine Hospital and the new $1.5 billion Footscray Hospital.
The project will create more than 2,400 jobs during construction and is expected to generate almost 4,000 health related jobs on-site in the hospital's first year.
As stated by Minister for Health Infrastructure Melissa Horne
"This is a truly innovative design process, using life-size projections to bring the new Melton Hospital plans to life and make sure the expertise of clinicians and staff directly shape how these spaces will function."
As stated by Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas
"Melbourne's west is one of the fastest growing corridors in the country, and we're making sure local families have access to 24-hour, world-class healthcare close to home."
As stated by Member for Melton Steve McGhie
"We're thrilled to be moving on to the next stage of this project, taking us one step closer to delivering this much-needed, landmark hospital for the Melton community."
