Box Hill Hospital moves healthcare into the future

• New era in healthcare in Melbourne’s east with $447.5 million Box Hill Hospital
• Project delivered on budget and ahead of schedule
• Victorian Coalition Government building a healthier Victoria

Staff and patients at Box Hill Hospital are marking a new era in acute healthcare in Melbourne’s east, Minister for Health David Davis said today.

“Today the first of many patients is moving into the new building at the $447.5 million redeveloped Box Hill Hospital,” Mr Davis said.

“This move is happening sooner than first expected, as is the whole project, which is ahead of schedule and on budget.”

Mr Davis today met the first patient to be transferred from the old hospital to the new, shortly before 7am.

“The redeveloped Box Hill Hospital will ultimately be able to provide high-quality care for up to 10,000 more people a year,” Mr Davis said.

“When the Coalition came to office, the old hospital was cramped and struggling to cope with demand.

“The Coalition committed to a redevelopment by 2015 and we promised more capacity than the original plan.

“We have delivered on our promise and obtained additional value from a modified contracting project.”

Member for Mitcham Dee Ryall said the project team has delivered a superb new facility that will house all acute inpatient and specialist day patient services, operating theatres, maternity, specialist cancer and renal inpatient services and a new emergency department.

“Eastern Health and the project team are to be congratulated for their achievement and the way the redevelopment has proceeded to date,” Ms Ryall said.

The first patients were also welcomed by the Liberal candidate for Hawthorn, John Pesutto, the Liberal candidate for Kew, Tim Smith, and Liberal MP for Forest Hill Neil Angus.