GRAMPIANS Health is preparing a massive shift of the whole medical precinct's perspective to a new main entry off Sturt Street for the biggest build in Ballarat's history.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Designs for Grampians Health Ballarat Base Hospital's transformed entrances, with a new emergency department at the centre, were unveiled on Wednesday morning.
This will bring patients, families and visitors off Sturt Street to a roundabout leading to emergency and safe drop-off zones with urgently needed short-term car parking.
It has not yet been announced exactly when the new entrance would be complete, due to the grand scale of the state government funded $541.6 million multi-stage hospital redevelopment.
The area that will soon become the new hospital entry.
Ambulances and emergency vehicles will continue to enter via a dedicated entrance on Mair Street.
This comes as part of a state government-funded $541.6 million hospital redevelopment.
Ambulances and emergency vehicles will continue to enter via a dedicated entrance on Mair Street.
Grampians Health chief executive officer Dale Fraser said a key, early focus had been on hospital access, car parking and potential traffic disruptions, during the long-term works.
Mr Fraser said Grampians Health would consider a return to a shuttle bus system for hospital staff and tradespeople during the build.
Already, pockets of car parks along the hospital's Drummond Street front had been temporarily cordoned off for safety during demolition works that were already underway.
We want to be mindful of where we are. I get lots of polite enquiries about car parking and that compels us to be responsive.
- Dale Fraser, Grampians Health chief executive officer
"[Parking is] a fantastic problem to have; there is a lot of building, lots of trades, lots of activity. This is already a busy site," Mr Fraser said. "The back space is already going to be cleared out for various opportunities for builders. With Troon's project already they're already accommodated on site but this is a much bigger project.
"One of the project elements is perhaps moving people off site and perhaps bus them back into the site to create that sort of secondary car park arrangement...We want to be mindful of where we are. I get lots of polite enquiries about car parking and that compels us to be responsive."
First stage redevelopment works started this month with demolition of Eildon House and Edward Wilson Building by Ballarat construction company H Troon,
Both are located off Drummond Street, next to the Gardiner-Pittard wing, which opened in early 2017.
IN OTHER NEWS
Western Victoria MP Jaala Pulford confirmed the process was underway to secure two more Sturt Street properties to allow room for a larger emergency department on the ground level while also easing parking and traffic congestion issues in the busy, central precinct.
Minor internal works and shifts to some hospital administration and consulting rooms were made prior to demolition works.
Construction work for the new support service building, in this area of the precinct, is set to begin in November with a projected completion in 2024.
Ms Pulford said once this build was complete then construction of the multi-level tower, which will house the new emergency department, would begin.
Ms Pulford said health services would remain unaffected.
"I guess the community will be wondering what does this mean for services, what if I get sick, what if I fall off a ladder, what if something happens to one of my loved ones between now and when this project is completed in a couple of years time?" she said.
"The team from Grampians Health have worked really closely to make sure there will be no diminishing or interruption to normal hospital operations.
"I can't even begin to imagine what a complex task that is to be able to have a massive construction project and redevelopment project that is minimally disruptive to the people but not disruptive to the provision of safe and excellent care. So, the hospital will run at capacity throughout."
Once complete the upgraded hospital will have the capacity to treat at least 18,000 more emergency patients on top of an extra 14,500 inpatients per year and capacity fir an extra 4000 surgeries each year.
The redevelopment will also deliver a women and children's hub, more theatre suites, an expanded intensive care unit, new endoscopy consulting rooms and 100 more beds.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.