SUNSHINE Hospital’s new intensive care unit will help alleviate growing pressure on services, according to Health Minister David Davis.
Touring the work site of the new $90.5 million acute services building last Wednesday, the minister said a $15.1 million budget boost would allow the hospital to finally have its own intensive-care unit.
The expansion will include up to 13 intensive-care beds as well as an expanded pathology service and two new birthing rooms.
Click on the image below for our gallery of the visit and works.
But the minister conceded further investment was necessary to keep up with soaring demand.
“Sunshine is under enormous pressure; it’s a hospital carrying a significant load,” he said.
“We need this new facility, but we also need the intensive-care facility to stop people being bused around the western suburbs of Melbourne to get intensive care when they need it.”
Western Health services 775,000 residents, with the population set to rise by a further 260,000 in the next 15 years.
The hospital’s 2011 plan predicts maternity demand will increase by 25 per cent over five years to more than 5500 births by 2015-16.
In March, a midwife told the Weekly the baby boom was creating a bigger risk for mothers as there were not enough beds.
The auditor-general’s Maternity Services: Capacity report revealed 219 babies had been born in Sunshine’s emergency department since 2006.
Mr Davis said the report made it clear capacity had not kept pace with demand.
“I don’t pretend this is a whole solution, but it is a practical, sensible, grounded response to that challenge.”
Opposition health spokesman Gavin Jennings said the government’s budget had ripped a further $134 million from health on top of the $482 million cut last year.
Mr Davis said the new intensive care unit and expanded maternity services would generate 17 new jobs during construction.
He said the acute services building was due to be completed in December.
