Infrastructure Victoria recommends major upgrade of ‘aged’ Footscray Hospital

A HOSPITAL in Melbourne’s west would get a long- sought after redevelopment under a proposal by the state’s infrastructure authority.

Footscray Hospital has been recommended for an upgrade. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

FOOTSCRAY Hospital needs a major redevelopment within the next 15 years, according to the state’s infrastructure authority.

Infrastructure Victoria said in its newly released 30-year draft strategy that the hospital is in an “aged condition” and would require a “major refurbishment” in 10 to 15 years.

“This will be required to efficiently support the delivery of specialist and complex statewide health services and meet the needs of rapidly growing inner city populations,” it states.

RELATED: Footscray Hospital receives $17 million pledge but wards ‘beyond renovation’

The infrastructure authority has also called for the missing tram link between Docklands and Footscray.

Western Metropolitan Greens MP Colleen Hartland, who is behind the Fix Footscray Hospital campaign, said the draft plan confirmed a redevelopment should be a priority.

“Given 73 beds in three wards at Footscray Hospital are already permanently closed due to disrepair, it is clearly in dire need,” she said.

The Leader reported in April that two patient wards had been abandoned and a third was being used for administration.

Ms Hartland said the State Government should be ashamed of the neglect and commit to funding the redevelopment.

The Government allocated $17 million in this year’s budget towards upgrading the hospital with $15 million for “urgent works” and another $2 million for “planning”.

The amount will only be enough to update the remaining three functioning wards in the six-ward inpatient South Block.

But Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the cash injection would be spent on areas of the hospital that required an urgent fix.

Western Health has previously lobbied the Government for a $300 million partial rebuild­ of Footscray Hospital which would involve relocating and doubling the size of the ED and demolishing and replacing the South Block, which was part of the original hospital in 1953.