Footscray Hospital
Sarah CONNOLLY (Laverton) (19:22): (1319) My adjournment is for the Minister for Health, and the action I seek is that the minister update me on the services that will soon be provided when the new Footscray Hospital opens very, very soon. I had the privilege of taking about 50 folks from my local community recently to see inside the hospital in all of its glory. Yes, it is absolutely glorious inside that hospital. I have to say it was absolutely amazing to see so many people wide-eyed and amazed at the scope of what we have been able to deliver in Footscray – people from all different community groups in my electorate, like the West Sunshine multicultural senior citizens group, a fantastic group of elderly community members from all different backgrounds, including Greek, Italian, Turkish, Maltese and more. They were amazed to see what an improvement this hospital will be over the current site on Gordon Street. We are talking about new state-of-the-art hospital wards. Some of those attending were actually even having a poke and feeling how comfortable the hospital bed mattresses will be – elderly people, who probably think about the next stint that they will be having in hospital, and it will be in Footscray Hospital. In fact there are going to be more than 500 inpatient beds on the site. Mental health and drug and alcohol services, which we know are critical for so many Victorians, will operate out of here.
This is not to mention the incredible connectivity and synergy with Victoria University. We had staff and students from Sunshine College, Braybrook College and Caroline Chisholm Catholic College, many of whom are looking at careers in medicine – very smart kids – and in nursing, who are excited about the learning and the career opportunities that the hospital represents for them. These proud westies are just some of the people in the community we have built this hospital for, and they are giving it the big thumbs up. Starting from early next year, in February in fact, all of Melbourne’s west will be able to benefit from this major investment in our hospital services, which is why I would like the minister to update me on the services that will be provided at this new hospital when it opens next year.