The Minister for Health has announced that new hospital beds are opening across Victoria as the State’s health system gears up to manage increased coronavirus presentations.
In a statement the Minister, Jenny Mikakos said the Government’s $1.9 billion health funding boost had allowed the State’s hospitals to build more bed capacity and recommission buildings no longer used for healthcare.
“When complete, the health system’s surge capacity will be boosted by more than 700 beds across Victoria,” Ms Mikakos said.
“The additional inpatient and ICU capacity will not only help manage increased demand from the coronavirus pandemic, but also ensure hospitals can continue to treat patients with other conditions throughout this time,” she said.
“Our hospital admissions for coronavirus have remained steady thanks to the actions everyone is taking to slow the spread – but now is not the time to become complacent.”
Ms Mikakos said the additional hospital beds would be spread throughout the former Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute; the former Geelong Private Hospital; Bendigo Hospital; Shepparton Hospital; the Alfred Hospital; Austin Hospital; Monash Medical Centre Clayton; and Casey Hospital.
She said that by bringing hundreds of additional beds online within a few weeks the State now had additional capacity available to help hospitals deal with the pandemic.
