Australian Unity unlikely to deliver private hospital at Coach St, Cobblebank ahead of Victorian Government’s new Melton Hospital

Patients desperate for a private hospital in Melbourne’s outer west must wait until their public one is built as health outcomes “deteriorate” in the region.

The $15m site of a private hospital to be developed at Coach St, Cobblebank

A new private hospital for Melbourne’s booming west will have to wait until the state government gets to work on its public hospital, as despairing residents are left in limbo for years while the region’s health “deteriorates”.

Health advocates hoped a new private hospital could be built in as little as two years and accelerate the long-awaited Melton Hospital— flagged to open in 2029 — but their optimism was short lived after developers for the neighbouring site conceded they must wait, like everyone else, for the state government to install basic infrastructure.

In June, Australian Unity (AU) announced it had acquired a $15m lot at Melton to build a precinct nestled between the new public hospital and Cobblebank Station.

Subject to approvals, AU’s Healthcare Property Trust (HPT) would build a private hospital, allied healthcare and retail outlets to establish a mixed-use ‘town centre’ on the 7.5ha site at Coach St, Cobblebank.

HPT senior asset manager Peter Beale said it was unlikely they could open ahead of the public hospital due to the absence of infrastructure such as sewage, power, and roads but endeavoured to open “around the same time”.

A map outlining the location for the state government’s Melton Hospital.

“We expect the private hospital to have about 25-30 beds upon opening with capacity for more rooms, five or six day surgery theatres, as well as a nearby childcare centre and retail outlets,” Mr Beale said.

“Our involvement will enable the public hospital to have a wider reach and help attract doctors and healthcare providers keen to work across both sectors.

“This will not impact the state government’s development, they have a significant site with room for expansion but we will look to maximise connectivity between the hospitals.

“Residents should not need to drive into the city for private health services, our new Sunshine Private hospital reduced a 45km trip to 25km, but we look forward to the day its 2km, or less.”

Melton GP Marcus Watson welcomed any provider to boost services in the region.

Melton GP Marcus Watson welcomed any project that brought more health services to the region but feared the unbuilt public hospital, expected to host 274 beds, would be half the size needed upon opening as the region’s population soared.

“The Government promised us a hospital five years ago and now we have to wait another six to get a hospital that’s already too small,” Dr Watson said.

“Opening the public hospital should be fast tracked, sure we absolutely need more beds than are promised, but right now we have zero.

“Our health outcomes will continue to deteriorate in Melton as we have a lack of acute services paired with insufficient infrastructure.

Dr Watson hoped AU could deliver the hospital in a similar time to their Sunshine project — about two years — before learning of AU’s limitations.

State Government planning documents for the new hospital conceded that when patients in Melton are required to travel long distances it not only “further entrenched the area’s disadvantage” but placed “unsustainable pressure” on west and inner-city hospitals.

Travel time by car to public hospitals in Melbourne’s west from Melton. Source: VHBA

“Hospital capacity has not kept up with demand in Melbourne’s outer west,” according to the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA).

“Demand for hospital services in Melbourne’s west (is forecast to) more than double over the next 20 years, faster than any other area in the state.”

It acknowledged there was “recognised gaps” in GP and specialist care, after hours care, public dental and services including mental health, family violence, and disabilities.

The tender document noted that Melton, one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia, is forecast to outgrow Geelong and near the population of Canberra by 2037.

Forecast population growth would see the City of Melton surpass 400,000 by 2046. Supplied: forecast.id

A government spokesman confirmed it was aware of the potential development but said that would not impact its plans.

“The new Melton Hospital has been extensively planned and with at least 395 points of care, we’re confident that it will meet the needs of the growing community,” the spokesman said.

“The tender process is currently underway with the two short-listed consortia already preparing detailed proposals to deliver the new hospital by 2029, before a final consortium is announced next year.”

The almost four hundred points of care referenced include dialysis beds, ED cubicles and chemo chairs.