In Melbourne, Australia, the Plenary Group-led Plenary Health consortium, in partnership with the Victorian Government and Western Health, has delivered and opened the new AU$1.5 billion (US$1.06 billion) Footscray Hospital. 

As many as 180 patients were carefully relocated by thousands of dedicated staff, ensuring continuity of care throughout the move. The new Footscray Hospital will provide families in Melbourne’s western suburbs with quicker access to treatment closer to where they live. When fully operational, the facility will feature more than 500 beds—around 200 more than before—and will care for an additional 15,000 patients each year. The new Footscray Hospital includes:

• Victoria’s first fully public pathology service, supporting Western Health’s entire network and delivering faster and higher-quality testing and diagnosis for patients;
• a new, bigger and better emergency department (ED), supporting an additional 20,000 patients every year;
• faster radiology services for patients thanks to three premium CT scanners, including one in the ED, and the ED’s high-tech satellite radiology hub;
• a new mental health, alcohol and other drugs hub in the ED to ease pressure on resources and improve safety – fast-tracking patients to an area with specialist, dedicated care so they get the right support sooner;
• more resuscitation bays, fast-track bays, and acute and short stay beds;
• new modern theatres, benefiting patients needing planned surgery. The theatres also link to other Western Health sites for education, case planning and better patient care;
• expanded MRI capacity from one to three world-class machines;
• easier-to-accessible specialist care thanks to an increase in consultation spaces;
• training for the next generation of nurses, midwives and allied health workers, thanks to the hospital’s connection to Victoria University; and
• a boost in skills training and employment pathways for students of physiotherapy, speech pathology, dietetics, biomedicine and psychology.