Sunshine Hospital emergency department redevelopment

The Sunshine Hospital emergency department redevelopment has expanded and refurbished the hospital’s current facilities. The redevelopment includes:

• an extra 65 treatment spaces
• a medical imaging suite
• a new paediatric unit for children needing urgent care
• a six-bed mental health, alcohol and other drugs hub
• a new resuscitation area
• a behavioural assessment unit
• an expanded administration area
• new staff amenities.

The expanded paediatric unit includes:

• a new triage and reception
• fast-track treatment spaces
• support areas including x-ray facilities
• nine additional kids-only treatment spaces.

The staff administration area has been upgraded and expanded to include:

• additional offices
• workstations
• meeting rooms.

The Sunshine Hospital emergency department redevelopment aims to provide the following benefits:

Additional capacity

The expansion of Sunshine Hospital emergency department aims to meet the needs of the growing population in Melbourne’s west, allowing more people to be treated while improving patient flow, safety and quality of care. 

Emergency care

Once complete, the overall number of available treatment spaces will more than double from 55 to 120. This means Sunshine Hospital can treat an estimated 59,000 more emergency patients each year. 

Family emergency care

Children will be treated in a new separate section of the emergency department. Purpose-built for families, this will create a calmer and less clinical environment for children receiving treatment.

Urgent mental healthcare where and when it’s needed

The mental health, alcohol and other drugs hub will allow more emergency patients experiencing mental health, alcohol and other drugs issues to be assessed, treated and monitored by specialists before being discharged.

The hub aims to reduce the impact on the acute treatment cubicles within the emergency department and to allow patients to be seen and treated faster. Implementation of the hub is subject to a delivery model being finalised.

Building on the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System

The investment in the mental health, alcohol and other drugs hub builds on the work of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System’s 74 recommendations to transform mental health support and care to make it accessible, flexible and responsive.

The hub will deliver emergency facilities that support safe and modern emergency care, providing more support for Victorians presenting at emergency departments who need dedicated clinical care.

Staff support

More desk space, as well as change rooms, additional meeting rooms and teaching areas will support staff needs.

Local jobs

At the peak of construction, the redevelopment created and sustained around 100 construction industry jobs.

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

• Western Health
• Silver Thomas Hanley (architect) 
• Lendlease (builder).