Due to the Government’s $1.5 billion COVID Catch Up Plan, hundreds of additional patients in Melbourne’s West will be able to access needed elective surgeries sooner.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas recently visited the newly opened Werribee Rapid Access Hub (RAH). This facility has been equipped with upgraded endoscopy suites and will provide 800 endoscopy procedures between now and June.
These endoscopies are a key diagnostic tool for medical professionals and may lead to further treatments or surgeries. The Werribee RAH is one of eight new hubs that have received funding to increase capacity and provide faster services.
Similar facilities have already opened at Broadmeadows Hospital and Sandringham Hospital, in addition to the first of five theatres in operation at St Vincent’s on the Park. Hubs at Peter Mac, University Hospital Geelong, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital will open later this year.
The Werribee RAH is also enabling surgeons from the Royal Children’s Hospital to perform day surgery for local children at Werribee. This ensures children in Wyndham receive the care they need in the area.
The RAHs are part of the long-term COVID Catch Up Plan, which seeks to reform the surgery system and build a better health system for the future. The investment of $1.5 billion is helping to train staff, upgrade facilities, and provide the necessary equipment to complete more surgeries.
Additionally, there is an ongoing $110 million emergency department expansion at Werribee. This expansion will double capacity and allow an extra 25,000 patients to be treated each year upon its completion in 2025.
