By Jesse Graham
HEALESVILLE Hospital’s redevelopment is coming together ahead of its re-opening early next year, with patient rooms and a new operating theatre being finished off.
The hospital site on Maroondah Highway is currently abuzz with tradies and construction workers, putting together the $8.8 million redevelopment of the building ahead of its opening next year.
On Friday 2 September, the Mail toured the hospital site with Eastern Health representatives and manager of Capital Projects, Mark Hoffman.
The patient rooms, which now feature their own ensuites, are structurally finished, with the final touches yet to be added, and the core of the building coming together.
Mr Hoffman said the ensuites were a welcome addition to the hospital, with the former building having only communal bathroom areas for patients.
Patients will also have a dining and lounge space outside of their rooms with a brick feature wall from the original structure and a view out towards the mountains.
The new operating theatre, which includes its own waiting and recovery area, also looks almost ready to host patients – a stark contrast to the Mail’s last visit in March, where the theatre was just a wooden frame in concrete.
Much of the building’s interior has a simple colour palate and a more modern design than the old hospital, something Mr Hoffman said was a “focus” the whole way through the development.
He said natural light was utilised as much as possible, with wide windows in the gym area, the patient lounge and the dialysis area – with several chairs looking out to the front gardens at the hospital.
Mr Hoffman said the relaxing view would be important for dialysis patients some of whom can spend five hours a day, three days a week, undergoing treatment.
Though about 30 builders and staff are on site at the hospital, Mr Hoffman said local tradies were being utilised throughout the project.
The hospital is will open early next year, and Eastern Health is expected to make an announcement soon regarding a potential name change for the hospital.
