The Andrews Labor Government is getting on with delivering the new Barwon Women's and Children's Hospital, giving local families the world-class maternity and paediatric services they need, closer to home.
Premier Daniel Andrews today visited the site at the University Hospital Geelong, where works on the new half-a-billion-dollar facility have now begun.
Supporting 1,500 direct and indirect jobs at the peak of construction, the project will deliver new and expanded maternity and paediatric services for Geelong and the surrounding communities.
Located on the University Hospital Geelong campus and with direct access to facilities such as intensive care, emergency and the helipad, the Barwon Women's and Children's Hospital will feature a range of maternity and paediatric services boosting capacity across the Barwon region, including:
- More multi-day beds
- More birthing suites
- More induction spaces
- Expanded specialist facilities
- New operating theatres
- More outpatient clinic rooms
The project will also deliver a new neonatal and parent care unit - also known as a special care nursery - that provides care for sick and preterm babies in the first few weeks and months of life, so local mums can stay close to their families and loved ones after giving birth.
Contemporary, purpose-built spaces and wards for children will help to make medical care less intimidating for young families.
Site preparations, including further demolition, will continue throughout 2023 - with works expected to be completed in 2029.
The Labor Government has invested more than $12 billion in health infrastructure since 2014, building the facilities Victorians need. But world-class healthcare is about more than bricks and mortar - so we're doing what matters by investing in our healthcare workforce, too.
Since coming to government, Labor has recruited more than 26,000 extra healthcare workers - growing the public health workforce by 33 per cent since 2014. In the last term, we've grown the workforce by more than 18 per cent - around 16,500 workers.
Quotesattributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
"The new Barwon Women's and Children's Hospital will ensure more families can get the care they need - close to home in Geelong."
"The new hospital will be tailor made to suit the needs of local women and children - with more specialist services and better infrastructure for staff."
As stated by Member for Geelong Christine Couzens
"This is the first step towards state-of-the-art facilities that will deliver the very best care for women and kids right across Geelong - now and into the future."
