Premier opens region’s new $115M Warrnambool Base Hospital

Regional Cities Minister Dr Denis Napthine, Premier Ted Baillieu and SWH CEO John Krygger just moments away from the official opening.

The 800 guests.

Premier Baillieu says he is incredibly impressed with what he sees.

Warrnambool City Mayor Jacinta Ermacora, Health Minister David Davis, SWH Board Chairman Chris Logan, CEO John Krygger, Premier Baillieu and Regional Cities Minister Denis Napthine.

Pride of place, the new hospital's main entrance. (All images accompanying this story are courtesy of The Standard and photographer Angela Milne.)

General

Monday, September 19, 2011

Eight hundred guests gathered at our $115M new Warrnambool Base Hospital today to witness the historic opening of one of the most technologically-advanced hospitals in regional Australia.

The honors were performed by Premier Ted Baillieu. Also in attendance were Health Minister David Davis and Regional Cities Minister Dr Denis Napthine.

Five years in the planning and 22 months in construction, the development – the largest of its kind ever undertaken by a Victorian Government – allows the 157-year-old health service to provide:

37 more patient beds (from 155 to 192)
67 new single-bed rooms (accounting for a third of all patients rooms)
an 8-pod Special Care Nursery (to replace the current 5-crib SCN)
a 10-bed Intensive Care Unit (to replace the current 6-bed ICU)
first-ever Negative Pressure Rooms (to spare patients with, primarily, respiratory diseases from having to be transferred to Geelong or Melbourne)
the Deakin Medical School (regarded as the jewel-in-the-crown of the new Base Hospital, it will future-proof the region in terms of recruitment of General Practitioners and specialists. 37 students are currently completing part of their final two years of study, onsite. That’s expected to increase to 60 before 2013.)
a purpose-built, foyer-based Pharmacy (making it so much easier for discharged patients to have scripts filled before going home)
a 60-seat coffee shop (providing a welcoming atmosphere in the heart of the new foyer)
an 80-space underground car park (its lifts take you straight to the foyer)
a purpose-built Rehabilitation Unit (it’s already seen to the establishment of a much-needed GEM/Geriatric Evaluation & Management Service where 11 Longer Stay/Older Patients are being provided with the most appropriate options for treatment, rehabilitation, transitional care and post-rehabilitation care. [In 2010-11, the 66-70 age group was the hospital’s highest-rating inpatient group, accounting for 8.3 per cent of all inpatients.]
a purpose-built, mechanically-assisted kitchen, laundry and bathroom (to help re-familiarise longer-term patients with day-to-day living skills)
6 purpose-built Palliative Care suites (complete with a shared, sea-view lounge room, kitchen and patio for family and friends to spend time together)

Not since its last acute-specific redevelopment in 1936 has South West Healthcare had a facility so perfectly attuned to the ever-growing health and cultural needs of the 110,000 people who call the southwest their home.

‘South West Healthcare has always had an outstanding statewide reputation as a quality health service provider and now our community will have access to facilities befitting a modern and progressive health service,’ SWH Chief Executive Officer John Krygger told guests at the opening.

Premier Baillieu commended everyone responsible for the redevelopment, including SWH’s Board, Executive Team and Redevelopment Manager Wayne Hall. He also commended the community for its generosity in supporting SWH’s successful $3.5M public appeal to equip the new hospital; in particular, Appeal Committee Chairman Bill Phillpot.