Barwon Health outlines next steps for Building B reactivation
Barwon Health is set to open newly refurbished theatres at the former Geelong Private Hospital site next month to help clear the whopping backlog of elective surgeries.
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Barwon Health is set to open newly refurbished theatres at the former Geelong Private Hospital site next month.
The works at the site, now known as University Hospital Geelong Building B, are expected to bolster capacity after the elective surgery waitlist surged during the coronavirus pandemic.
Barwon Health spokeswoman Kate Bibby said the reactivation of Building B was occurring in stages.
“There is sufficient capacity at University Hospital Geelong including in Building B to meet any expected increase in demand for COVID patients,” Ms Bibby said.
“Specialist clinics are operating out of Building B and we plan to open the newly refurbished theatres in Building B in March.
“Recruitment of new staff is underway and the theatre building works are almost complete.”
It’s understood Barwon Health is hiring Building B staff which includes a variety of roles along with more surgery staff.
The latest data from the Victorian Agency for Health Information shows that in the last quarter of 2020, Geelong hospital’s elective surgery waiting list grew by 50 patients, from 2001 on September 30 to 2051 on December 31.
The waiting list ballooned by more than 700 patients last year, as non-urgent elective surgeries were paused twice in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The state government early last year announced it would recommission the former Geelong Private Hospital site to prepare for the pandemic.
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It underwent a rapid renovation to provide a new acute respiratory assessment clinic with 50 new beds and consulting rooms.
The extra wards increased Barwon Health’s capacity and helped ensure it was prepared for any increase in demand.
The beds at Building B were part of a boost announced by the State Government to add more than 700 beds across Victoria.
Geelong Private Hospital, which was formerly run by Healthscope and housed 107 beds, closed in May, 2018.
Originally published as Barwon Health outlines next steps for Building B reactivation
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