‘Old shabby tired’ - Footscray Hospital an emergency case says community

GREENS MP Colleen Hartland will use the results of a community survey on the state of the Footscray Hospital to push for a rebuild.

Neurologist stabbed earlier this morning at Western Hospital Footscray.

DILAPIDATED buildings, disjointed outpatient services and poor disability access are among the reasons why Footscray Hospital must urgently undergo a redevelopment, patients and visitors say.

The community has come together for the first time to share their experiences about the “outdated” and “inadequate” Emergency Department and outpatient facilities.

The survey is being undertaken by Greens MP Colleen Hartland who will use the results to urge the State Government to commit to the upgrade in next year’s budget.

RELATED: State Government says cutbacks mean upgrade to Footscray’s Western Hospital not a priority

Western Health wants the ED relocated and doubled in size and the south block, which has many inpatient beds and was part of the original hospital in 1953, demolished and replaced.

Survey participants described the facilities as “old, shabby and tired” and said outpatient services weren’t co-located, forcing people to walk long distances back and forth for services such as X-rays and pathology.

HAVE YOUR SAY: What do you think of the hospital’s facilities? Tell us below.

Patrick Walsh, who filled out the survey, is a regular visitor helping to take his 70-year-old mother to outpatient appointments following a hip replacement.

“The staff do amazing work, but what they have to work with is boarding on prehistoric,” he said.

Mr Walsh said the layout of outpatient services made it difficult for his mother who had limited mobility.

“Pre-surgery involved no less than seven different tests in a day, forcing me to push her on her walking frame all over the building, which is far from ideal, and not to mention rather dangerous, should she fall,” he said.

Ms Hartland said the inner west deserved quality facilities built to modern standards in terms of size, hygiene, disabled access and co-location of related services.

Evelyn Ek, a spokeswoman for Health Minister Jill Hennessy, said the government was aware Footscray Hospital was facing infrastructure challenges.

Access the survey here.