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 245-267 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.
What input has the community had on the project so far?
We conducted a community survey in June 2020. The survey sought input about the healthcare services the Melton community use, what’s important to them and what they value in the future. We received almost 2,000 responses, which have helped to shape the planning of the new Melton hospital.
You can learn more about this process in the New Melton Hospital: Community Survey Report.
In September - October 2022, we sought further insight into what it means to build a hospital for the outer west as well as input into key indoor and outdoor spaces.
A community consultative committee has been established to support the ongoing planning of the new Melton Hospital. This will provide a forum for members of the local community to participate in the project’s planning through open dialogue and consultation.
How can the community help shape the new Melton Hospital?
We value community input and are committed to keeping the local community up to date as the New Melton Hospital Project progresses. Community feedback will help to shape this significant investment, ensuring the best outcome for Melton and surrounding communities. A community consultative committee has also been appointed to participate in the project’s ongoing planning through open dialogue and consultation.
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.
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 and
- 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. VHBA is undertaking extensive engagement with Melton City Council and relevant utility authorities to deliver all the necessary power, gas, stormwater drainage and other utility infrastructure (as well as road access including Bridge Road, Coach Street and East Road) to the site in time for the start of construction. Geotechnical, geothermal and site surveys have now been completed, while VHBA has recently submitted its planning permit application to allow for subdivision for the delivery of Coach Street and East Road. Melton City Council will also soon start on the construction of Bridge Road following a competitive tender process later this year.
These connections will not only service the new Melton Hospital site but also the broader precinct. The government intends to financially support the development of precinct infrastructure. Development and approval of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan will occur later this year.
When will the new hospital open?
The hospital is scheduled to open in 2029.