Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Bright health precinct

Ms LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (23:19): (1638) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health, and it concerns funding for the Bright health precinct development. The action that I seek is for the minister to provide a funding commitment of $40 million for the completion of the Bright health precinct development, a revolutionary project that will allow provider Alpine Health to meet the healthcare needs of the Bright community. The amalgamation of the Bright District Hospital and Health Services, Tawonga District General Hospital and Myrtleford District War Memorial Hospital saw the creation of Alpine Health in November 1996. Since the amalgamation both Myrtleford District War Memorial Hospital and Tawonga District General Hospital, which is now known as Mount Beauty District Hospital, have been redeveloped under a staged capital development program. Unfortunately Alpine Health has been unable to secure appropriate funding to complete a redevelopment of the Bright District Hospital and Health Services, and numerous studies have shown that the current infrastructure cannot deliver the quality health care the community needs.

On 3 March this year I called on the minister to provide funding for Alpine Health to complete detailed planning of a redevelopment of Bright’s health services. This work has been done, with a feasibility study completed and the business case now being finalised. The feasibility study has determined that the planned Bright health precinct development will meet the health needs of the community, with the redevelopment of four key areas of service. The project will finally deliver a new 35-bed high-care aged-care facility to the region, with the ability to expand with an additional two seven-bed units. A refurbishment of the existing hospital bed-based services and nursing facilities will be completed together with an extension of the kitchen area and the hospital’s community and allied health space, which will expand the range of allied and specialist health services available to patients. The project will see the current Hawthorn Village aged-care facility become Alpine Health’s new health education hub, as well as serving as an accommodation space for international healthcare workers.

Finally, the development also includes acquiring land to build a new medical centre, utilising private capital investment and providing engagement for a full range of medical services. During the regional sitting in Bright this year the hospital board group met with numerous MPs to outline the need for this redevelopment. The feasibility study has identified the cost of the development to be $40 million, and with the completion of the business case imminent I call on the minister to commit the funding to make this project a reality.