New Melton Hospital

The new Melton Hospital will include:

• a 24-hour emergency department
• at least 274 beds
• an intensive care unit
• maternity and neonatal services
• mental health services, radiology services and ambulatory care
• a new education and training hub for doctors and nurses in Melbourne’s west.

The new Melton Hospital aims to achieve the following benefits:

Treating more patients

The hospital will support the growing and diverse communities of Caroline Springs, Rockbank, Melton and Bacchus Marsh. It will ensure the people of Melbourne's west get the care they need, close to home.

With at least 274 beds, the new Melton Hospital will have the capacity to treat 130,000 patients each year and see almost 60,000 patients in the emergency department.

Local jobs

The new Melton Hospital project will create more than 700 direct jobs and 1,700 indirect jobs during construction. It will also generate 2,485 indirect jobs in surrounding health-related services and other businesses.

The hospital will provide a new education and training hub for doctors and nurses in Melbourne’s west. Its operations are expected to generate 3,975 direct jobs on-site in its first full year of operations. This includes medical and nursing staff, allied health professionals, technicians and administrative and facilities management staff.

Reduced wait times

The new hospital will ease the pressure and reduce waiting times at other busy Melbourne hospitals. It will provide an essential link with services at the public hospitals in the western region – including Sunshine Hospital and the $1.5 billion new Footscray Hospital.

Supporting the health of the outer west

Melton is one of the fastest growing areas in Australia. As the population grows and ages, demand for healthcare services continues to increase. The new Melton Hospital will help meet the changing and growing health needs of Melbourne’s outer west.

It takes a lot of planning and many conversations to work out what the right hospital for your community will look like.

The Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA), together with Western Health, is committed to providing community and stakeholders with meaningful opportunities to provide input into this significant project for the outer west.

To ensure the voice of the community is part of the planning for the new hospital, VHBA has sought and considered feedback on a range of topics via an extensive engagement process, including:

• community vision and aspirations
• accessibility and wayfinding (safety, precinct connectivity, use of technology, signage and layout)
• cultural safety and creating a welcoming space for all (use of colours, symbols, multilingual signage and spaces for cultural and spiritual activities)
• design and look and feel of the hospital (indoor spaces, public artwork, outdoor spaces and landscaping).

Community feedback has been captured via:

• surveys
• information sessions
• targeted workshops
• the new Melton Hospital Community Consultative Committee.

Throughout consultation we heard over 1,000 ideas and priorities from the community. These have been captured in the 'New Melton Hospital Community Consultation Report'.

The report has been provided to shortlisted bidders preparing proposals to design, construct, finance and maintain the new Melton Hospital. This gives the opportunity for these to be reflected in the final design of the hospital.

Through understanding the views and aspirations of the local community, the successful consortium will have the best opportunity to design and build a hospital for Melton and the surrounding areas that reflects the community it serves.

Find out more in the new Melton Hospital Community Consultation Report.

A community consultative committee has been established to support the development of the new Melton Hospital.

The committee will provide a forum for members of the local community to participate in the project’s ongoing planning through open dialogue and consultation.

The role and purpose of the community consultative committee is to:

• provide advice on local community health and social needs
• represent the community’s diverse views
• provide advice on emerging issues, opportunities and priorities of the local community.

Chaired by Steve McGhie MP, Member for Melton, committee members met regularly between September 2022 and May 2023. The committee provided input into the community consultation report. The committee will continue to be consulted on an as needs basis as the project progresses.

Committee members have been selected across gender, age, interests and background to ensure a diverse representation. The committee includes representatives from Western Health, Melton City Council and the Victorian Health Building Authority.

The members of the community consultative committee are:

• Member for Melton, Steve McGhie (Chair)
• Russell Harrison, CEO, Western Health
• Roslyn Wai, CEO, Melton City Council
• Tina Skliros, Director of PPP Projects, VHBA
• Jordan Casey, Manager of Aboriginal Health, Policy & Planning, Western Health
• Alan Perry, community member
• Amit Cheema, community member
• Andrew McDermott, community member
• Brianna Mitchell, community member
• Carmen Martin Issifu, community member
• Daniel D'Souza, community member
• Erwin De Mesa, community member
• Hajar Chlihi, community member
• James Hargreaves, community member
• Jenny Brown, community member
• Kersty Brown, community member
• Vickii Warburton, community member.

Why does Melton need a new hospital?

Melton is one of the fastest growing communities in Australia. The new Melton Hospital is being built to meet the growing demand for health services in Melbourne’s outer west. This demand is being driven by population growth and increasing use of hospital services.

Will the hospital be a public hospital? Who will operate the new hospital?

The new Melton Hospital will be a public hospital. This much-needed project is being delivered in partnership with Western Health, who will operate the hospital.

What will the new hospital deliver?

The new hospital will be Victoria’s first fully electric hospital. It will include:

• a 24-hour emergency department
• at least 274 beds
• an intensive care unit
• maternity and neonatal services
• mental health services
• radiology services
• outpatient care.

Once completed, Melton Hospital will have capacity to treat 130,000 patients each year and see almost 60,000 patients in the emergency department.

Why has this site been selected?

The new hospital will be built at 245A Ferris Road, Cobblebank, within the future Cobblebank Metropolitan Activity Centre. Benefits to this site location include:

• close to the Cobblebank train station and Western Freeway
• ease of access to retail, sports and school zones
• opportunity for future expansion and development of the site
• local access to services for the residents of Melton and surrounds.

It will provide an essential link with services at other public hospitals in the western region – including Sunshine Hospital and the new Footscray Hospital.

How can the community continue to be involved in the project?

We value community input and are committed to keeping the local community up to date as the new Melton Hospital Project progresses. This may be through construction notices, further information sessions or a Project newsletter distributed at key milestones.

Our website and VHBA social media channels will continue to be updated regularly as the project progresses.

How will the new Melton Hospital be delivered?

The new Melton Hospital will be delivered as a public private partnership (PPP) under the Partnerships Victoria Framework.

Melton Hospital will be a public hospital, with all clinical health services operated and provided by Western Health.

Two consortia including construction companies, sponsors, and facilities management providers have been shortlisted to deliver the new Melton Hospital.

The shortlisted consortia are:

• Exemplar Health, comprising Capella Capital, Lendlease, Honeywell and Compass Group
• Wilam Marrga, comprising Tetris Capital, John Holland, ISS and Cushman & Wakefield.

They have been invited to develop proposals to design, construct, finance and maintain the major public hospital for Melbourne’s booming outer west.

The final consortium will be announced in 2024.

What is a public private partnership (PPP)?

The PPP model brings together a private consortium to design, construct, finance and maintain the new facility. Western Health will operate the hospital.

Previous hospital PPP projects in Victoria include:

• the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre
• the Royal Women’s Hospital
• the Royal Children’s Hospital
• Casey Hospital 
• Bendigo Hospital.

The new Footscray Hospital currently under construction is also being delivered as a PPP.

What are the benefits of a PPP model for the Melton Hospital?

The PPP model is expected to deliver the best possible outcome for Melton and the people of Melbourne’s west. This model allows for innovation, best practice design and long-term asset management. It provides the necessary resources to enable the building of a world-class hospital for the local community that is maintained to very high standards.

How many jobs will the project create?

The New Melton Hospital Project will create more than 700 direct jobs and 1,700 indirect jobs during construction. It will also generate 2,485 indirect jobs in surrounding health-related services and other businesses.

The hospital will provide a new education and training hub for doctors and nurses in Melbourne’s west. Its operations are expected to generate 3,975 direct jobs on-site in its first full year of operations, including medical and nursing staff, allied health professionals, technicians and administrative and facilities management staff.

How can I stay up-to-date with the project?

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When will construction begin?

Construction of the hospital is expected to begin in 2024.

Site preparation works are underway. This includes extensive engagement with Melton City Council and relevant utility authorities to help ensure the necessary power, stormwater drainage, road access (including Bridge Road, Coach Street and East Road), and other utility infrastructure to the site to support the delivery of the new hospital.

VHBA understands Melton City Council is scheduled to commence construction of Bridge Road soon, following a competitive tender process.

When will the new hospital open?

The hospital is scheduled to open in 2029.

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

The Victorian Government is working closely with Western Health to ensure the best health outcomes are achieved for the community in Melbourne’s west.

The new hospital is being delivered as a public private partnership (PPP). This involves bringing together a private consortium to design, construct, finance and maintain the new hospital over 25 years.

Two consortia featuring construction companies, sponsors, and facilities management providers have been shortlisted to deliver the new Melton Hospital.

The shortlisted consortia are:

• Exemplar Health, comprising Capella Capital, Lendlease, Honeywell and Compass Group
• Wilam Marrga, comprising Tetris Capital, John Holland, ISS and Cushman & Wakefield

Shortlisted consortia have begun preparing detailed proposals to deliver the new hospital, before a final consortium is announced next year.