The Victorian Government is investing $6 million to improve emergency care across Melbourne’s western suburbs, aiming to reduce wait times and get paramedics back on the road sooner. Premier Jacinta Allan announced the funding during a visit to Sunshine, highlighting measures to hire additional staff, expand treatment spaces and improve patient flow.
Western Health will receive more than $4.5 million to enhance patient flow at Sunshine Hospital. The funding will support recruitment of doctors, nurses and allied health staff, as well as two discharge coordinators and additional support personnel to help patients transition from hospital to home efficiently.
The hospital will also expand its ‘fast-track’ model, adding six overnight cubicles to ensure timely care for patients with less serious injuries and illnesses. The fast-track system allows quicker assessment and discharge of lower acuity patients, easing pressure on emergency departments and improving ambulance offload times.
Mercy Health at Werribee will receive over $1.5 million to establish its own fast-track care model, with three treatment cubicles operating daily from 7:00am to 9:30pm. The aim is to improve patient flow, reduce wait times and provide faster care for less urgent presentations.
Premier Allan said the investment recognises the strain on paramedics, nurses and doctors amid record demand, with more than 98,000 Code 1 callouts and over 513,000 emergency department presentations last quarter. “This investment means more support for them, faster care for Victorians and ambulances back on the road sooner,” she said.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas emphasised the importance of timely care. “In an emergency, every second counts,” she said.
Natalie Suleyman, Member for St Albans, noted the funding would ensure hospitals in the west have the staff, equipment and space to serve a growing community.
The investment complements ongoing initiatives, including new handover standards, the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department, Urgent Care Clinics, and upcoming facilities such as the Virtual Hospital, Point Cook Community Hospital, Footscray Hospital, and the new Melton Hospital. Together, these projects aim to ensure families in Melbourne’s west have access to fast, reliable emergency care.
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