Werribee Mercy Hospital has been undergoing major work in one of its main car parks recently with the installation of portable units.
A Short Stay Unit is being constructed to immediately increase the capacity of the Emergency Department while Mercy Health works with the State Government towards a longer-term solution.
Most of the heavy lifting has now been completed for the temporary installation and is said to be on track for the opening of what is described as a vital new facility for patients.
Many ambulance services are still failing to meet their performance targets for the time it takes to transfer patients from an ambulance to the Emergency Department and it is believed this unit will assist.
Werribee GP, Joe Garra, is not so keen on the installation, who took to social media saying “This is embarrassing, Werribee needed a bigger hospital 4 years ago, and now we are getting a portable.
VIDEO: Timelapse of installation
I wonder if the Health Minister and our local members will come and open it. This is basically an admission that we were ignored until it became critical and we get a portable.”
Dr. Garra did concede that it would, in the short term, assist with reducing ‘ambulance ramping’.
There is still concern from the public, however, and although the facility is welcomed, Wyndham is still struggling to attract enough qualified nurses to the area.
