Some good news for your Monday.
The designs for Geelong hospital’s $20m children’s emergency department were revealed over the weekend, building on the State Government’s promise of a dedicated children’s emergency department at the University Hospital Geelong, giving local families the state-of-the-art emergency care, they need and deserve.
Unveiled by Minister for Health Infrastructure Mary-Anne Thomas, the ED will provide kids with the best care in a calm and reassuring environment.
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A trip to the emergency department can be scary for kids, but in this new facility, they will be treated in a calming space, purpose-built for families – with the capacity to meet growing demand.
The new children’s emergency department will include 28 additional dedicated treatment spaces, including two fast-track and eight short-stay beds, with new treatment rooms and support spaces, a separate paediatric triage system, and a waiting area.
The designs reveal a child-friendly environment with considered calming, soft tones and décor to help minimise anxiety in younger patients.
“This multi-million-dollar project will provide kids in Geelong with faster access to the care and treatment they need and a safer and more suitable work environment for the region’s amazing health care workers,” says Minister for Health Infrastructure Mary-Anne Thomas.
“We’re making sure kids in Geelong and the Barwon region get the quick, dedicated care they need so that they feel better sooner and in a safe, calm and comforting environment.”
The project is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) in partnership with Barwon Health. Construction is expected to get underway this month and be finished in July next year – sustaining and creating around 60 jobs during construction.
The project is part of the Labor Government’s investment to deliver specially designed children’s emergency areas in some of the state’s busiest hospitals. The investment builds on more than $500 million from the Victorian Budget 2022/23 for the flagship Barwon Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
The new Barwon Women’s and Children’s Hospital will integrate with existing University Hospital Geelong services and will deliver additional capacity to meet increasing demand in the region. The new facilities include more birthing suites, extra maternity inpatient beds, more paediatric inpatient beds, and extra special care nursery cots.
You can read the press release here.
