The proposal represents a major addition to the health infrastructure of Melbourne and Victoria. This redevelopment proposes an important expansion and upgrade of currently inadequate facilities to deliver significant community benefit through expanded and improved hospital and medical services, including:
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Building on Epworth Richmond’s role as a centre of excellence and a specialist facility in acute medical, surgical, cancer and rehabilitation services, providing services to the local and broader community. The expansion of the hospital in an inner city location will assist in meeting the health needs of a growing population
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Specialist operating suites, wards and specialist units that are proposed that meet current Department of Human Services’ standards, to accommodate state-of-the-art medical equipment used in clinical management of rehabilitation following acquired brain injury, joint replacement and other conditions
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Expansion of hospital, emergency and medical services in an inner city location and in close proximity to the public, social and retail transport infrastructure which will help ease the burden on the public health system
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Increased capacity within contemporary facilities that improve the functional relationship between departments and operational efficiency of Epworth’s people
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Improvement of patient care and infections control through provision of 430 new single, en-suite inpatient rooms and modern facilities. Currently Epworth Richmond only has 40% single rooms, and this will assist the hospital to meet the contemporary target of 80%
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Improved training facilities for medical staff, with new auditoriums proposed which will enable the commencement of a new doctor training program of ten new registrar positions (per annum) and training of nursing staff
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Reconfiguration of hospital operations to co-locate important functions, improving hospital efficiency and patient care, and
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Consolidation of hospital services and supporting consultant specialists to provide a better patient experience and improve efficiencies for specialist consultants.