Council
25 January, 2024
New facility to ease health service pressure
MINISTER for Health Mary-Anne Thomas visited the region this week to announce two significant milestones for the transformation of health in the south west.
On Tuesday Ms Thomas and Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora announced the completion of the new Regional Logistics Distribution Centre (RLDC), and the appointment of a builder for the $384.2 million Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment.
The opening of the RLDC from next month will provide a significant boost for the region’s health services, providing commercial linen and supply and logistics warehousing services.
Based out of Warrnambool, the supply will be utilised by more than 50 health providers throughout the south west including in Terang, Mortlake, Camperdown and Timboon.
The automated storage and retrieval system will ensure a safer workplace for logistics staff by streamlining the distribution process.
The purpose-built condensed storage system robotically picks and delivers essential healthcare supplies to workers at ergonomically designed stations to be packed and sent.
“This project happened within a year, which is testament to the work of the Victorian Health Building Authority,” Ms Thomas said.
“This is a big investment in health services not just for Warrnambool, but for health services and aged care services across the south west ,and will be integral to meet their needs.
“This is a sophisticated facility, a safe working environment and addresses a lot of workplace health and safety challenges involving manual handling.”
South West Healthcare chief executive officer Craig Fraser said the opening of the RLDC would make life easier not only for South West Healthcare, but health providers across the region.
“What it does is gives our employees a really nice place to work, lessens manual handling and provides back to the region,” he said.
With the RLDC set to open, Ms Thomas also announced Hansen Yuncken will begin the $384 million redevelopment of the hospital as preparations get underway for early works to begin in February, including services upgrades and relocations.
“It’s onwards and upwards for the next stage of the development, and I’m pleased to announce that, following the success of the RLDC project, Hansen Yuncken have been appointed to be the builders of the next stage of the Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment,” she said.
“They have established a great working relationship with the executive team at South West Healthcare, and importantly, have got the runs on the board and demonstrated to the community what they can achieve.”
Once complete, the Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment will transform healthcare in the region through the delivery of a new multi-storey clinical services tower, bigger emergency department, 22 extra inpatient beds, more operating theatres, dedicated areas for pathology and dialysis services, and up to 400 car parks.
The redevelopment is one of the largest health infrastructure investments in regional Victoria, and is creating significant employment opportunities for the region, with around 800 jobs available throughout construction.
The Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment is on track to be completed in 2027, with Ms Thomas saying she had “no reason to believe” the project would not be completed on schedule.
To find out more, visit vhba.vic.gov.au/health/hospitals/warrnambool-base-hospital-redevelopment.