Pakenham Community Hospital

The Community hospitals program aims to achieve the following benefits:

Better services closer to home

The Victorian Government is investing more than $800 million to deliver community hospitals in major growth areas across Victoria. These facilities will provide more locally available public healthcare options and better access to important everyday health services close to home.

Services will be tailored to each community and may include urgent care services, public dental and specialist appointments.

Stronger links to specialist care

Community hospitals will also help keep local communities healthy by providing links to other local healthcare providers including GPs, allied health services, specialists, social services and major hospitals if more complex care is required.

Reduce pressure on major hospitals

Community hospitals will also reduce pressure on major public hospitals and emergency departments. This will assist major hospitals to focus on critical care, complex health issues and surgeries, emergencies and trauma while our community hospitals support locals to manage their everyday health needs and access community services.

Meeting increased demand

As Victoria’s population grows and healthcare needs change, community hospitals will help meet increasing demand for public health services in major Victorian growth areas.

Once complete, the new community hospitals will have the capacity to treat at least 114,000 more urgent care patients each year. They’ll support 55,000 dialysis treatments and enable more than 100,000 additional allied health sessions each year.

The program will support:

• new developments in the City of Whittlesea and Point Cook
• relocation and expansion of existing health services on a new site at Cranbourne and Pakenham
• upgrades or expansion of existing health services at Craigieburn, Phillip Island, and Sunbury.

Managed by Monash Health, the Pakenham Community Hospital will be an expansion of services currently offered at Pakenham Community Health Centre. It will offer a range of public services including:

• allied health and rehabilitation
• alcohol and drug support
• chronic disease management
• day chemotherapy
• diagnostics including pathology and imaging
• mental health support
• public dental
• renal dialysis
• social support
• specialist appointments
• urgent care.

Strong links to specialists, community health providers and social support services will ensure more seamless follow-up treatment and support for those who require complex care.

We value community and stakeholder input and are committed to keeping the public informed on the Community hospitals program.

We work closely with key stakeholders across the health sector and local government. We aim to deliver functional and efficient health facilities that are fit-for-purpose, inclusive and that meet community needs.

Our engagement program includes:

• user groups
• working groups
• surveys
• workshops
• tailored engagement with identified key groups, including people with lived experience, Traditional Owners groups and culturally diverse communities.

We’ve established community consultative committees (CCC) to ensure the views and aspirations of the community are considered in the planning and design for each community hospital. Committees are made up of a diverse cross-section of community members, local service providers and organisations who provide a local perspective and considered advice on a range of issues relating to the project.

Summaries of the meetings held can be found on the Community Hospitals community consultative committee meeting summaries page.

The Pakenham Community Hospital community consultative committee (CCC) provided a forum for local community members to participate in the planning and development of the project through open dialogue and consultation.

The consultative committee included:

• foundation members from key organisations such as local councils
• health service providers and Aboriginal representation
• community members selected through an independent expression of interest process.

The Pakenham CCC was chaired by Emma Vulin MP, Member for Pakenham.

Meeting summaries can be found on the Community Hospitals community consultative committee meeting summaries page.

What is a community hospital?

Located in growing communities across Victoria, community hospitals – like what we’re building in the heart of Pakenham – are small public hospitals. They’ll give people who are not critically unwell better access to everyday health services, closer to home.

Where will the Pakenham Community Hospital be located?

The Pakenham Community Hospital will be located at 5 Drake Place, Pakenham. The location is within walking distance of the Pakenham town centre and train station and will complement nearby shops and services.

Who will manage the Pakenham Community Hospital?

The Pakenham Community Hospital will be managed by Monash Health. Monash Health is Victoria’s largest public health service.

What services will the Pakenham Community Hospital provide?

The Pakenham Community Hospital will expand the services currently offered at the Pakenham Community Health Centre on a new site. It will offer a range of public services including allied health and rehabilitation, alcohol and drug support, chronic disease management, day chemotherapy, diagnostics including pathology and imaging, mental health support, public dental, renal dialysis, social support, specialist appointments and urgent care.

Will the Pakenham Community Hospital be open 24/7 and will there be overnight beds?

The Pakenham Community Hospital will operate extended business hours. It will not operate 24 hours 7 days a week and it will not accommodate overnight stays.

Will the Pakenham Community Hospital have an emergency department?

No. People will be able to attend the facility for minor bumps and bruises and non-emergency care. People experiencing a medical emergency should visit their nearest emergency department.

Will the Pakenham Community Hospital include carparking?

Yes. The main parking precinct for the Pakenham Community Hospital will be located to the west of John Street and to the south of the Pakenham Place Shopping Centre. The entry to the Pakenham Community Hospital will run parallel to John Street.

What will the Pakenham Community Hospital look like?

With an overall floorplate of 5,500m2, the Pakenham Community Hospital will include two levels of clinical spaces. Its third level will include a plantroom for mechanical equipment. The community hospital will be orientated to the east of John Street and to the south of Drake Place.

What is the construction program for the Pakenham Community Hospital?

Construction on the Pakenham Community Hospital is expected to be completed in 2026.

How will construction impacts be managed to minimise disruption and impacts to nearby residents?

The appointed contractors will work closely with the Victorian Health Building Authority to minimise construction impacts on the community. This includes noise and vibration monitoring, noise control measures in accordance with Environment Protection Authority and Council imposed noise guidelines, dust suppression measures and the use of clear construction signage.

Has access to the Pakenham Place Precinct changed?

While construction is underway there will be some changes to how the Pakenham Place precinct is accessed. This includes pedestrian paths to the east and west of the Pakenham Community Hospital construction site to facilitate two access points from the newly constructed rail corridor through the Pakenham Place precinct.

Parking on Drake Place

To complete essential stormwater diversion works, one row of parking spaces on Drake Place will be unavailable for public use from early to mid 2025. The impacted spaces run adjacent to the construction site boundary. After the completion of the stormwater diversion works on Drake Place, these parking spaces will become available.

This project is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in partnership with:

• Monash Health (managing health service)
• HDR in partnership with Design Inc (architects)
• Lendlease (managing contractor).