Victoria State Government to Build New Hospital in Australia

Australia's Victoria State Government has unveiled plans to build a new Women's and Children's Hospital with a capital investment of AUD 200 million.

The new hospital will be a five story facility featuring 20 maternity delivery rooms, 237 beds, 39 special care nursery cots, four operating theaters, and additional clinics. Design consultants include Lyons Architecture (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) and building services engineers Waterman AHW (Sydney, NSW, Australia). The new hospital, which will be located in Sunshine, will be designed to meet the growing needs of west Melbourne, which is undergoing significant growth, with births expected to exceed 7,000 per year by 2026.

The new hospital will also free up theatre space and beds at the existing Sunshine Hospital (Melbourne, VIC, Australia), enabling 7,000 more operations each year. Sunshine Hospital is currently the third largest maternity hospital in Victoria. The new Women's and Children's Hospital will be named after the first female premier of Victoria, the late Joan Kirner AC, who died in May 2015 after a two-year battle with esophageal cancer.

“Joan was an absolute inspiration to all of us and we want to honor her and her legacy,” said Daniel Andrews, Premier of the state of Victoria. “The Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital will deliver vital services to families in Melbourne’s west, a community Joan truly loved.”

“I am proud that this new hospital will be named after my friend, Joan, who fought strongly and passionately for families in Melbourne’s west,” said Australian Minister for Health Jill Hennessy, MP. “This hospital will specialize in maternity and pediatric services, which is a fitting tribute to a woman who fought for women and children her whole life.”

Related Links:
Lyons Architecture
Waterman AHW
Sunshine Hospital