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Nov 2024
A Look Inside the New Footscray Hospital's Emergency Department
Published in News on November 29, 2024
Inside the Cutting-Edge Emergency Department at the New Footscray Hospital
The state-of-the-art emergency department at the new $1.5 billion Footscray Hospital is nearing completion, promising to deliver rapid, effective care to those who need it most.
The department features five resuscitation bays, six fast-track bays, and over 50 beds for acute and short-stay patients. Its design prioritizes patient experience, offering a calm, welcoming, and easily navigable environment.
Equipped with world-class facilities, this emergency department is built to address the healthcare needs of Melbourne’s west—both today and into the future.
Newly Released Renderings
Freshly unveiled renderings highlight the hospital’s thoughtfully designed spaces, including the main reception area, communal zones, patient rooms, and waiting areas.
Every detail—from the warm, inviting colour palette to the integration of natural light, greenery, and comfortable seating—has been designed with the well-being of patients, staff, and visitors in mind.
Construction Progress: The New Footscray Hospital
With the completion of the hospital’s striking external façade, nearly 1,500 workers are now focused on the interior fit-out and services across the site. Landscaping efforts are also underway to enhance the hospital's surroundings.
This ambitious project will transform healthcare in Melbourne’s west. The new Footscray Hospital, featuring nearly 200 additional beds, is designed to significantly cut wait times and ease the strain on neighbouring hospitals. It will accommodate approximately 15,000 more patients and enable around 20,000 additional visits to the emergency department annually.
To support patients and their families, a comprehensive hospital accommodation guide will be available, offering information about nearby lodging options for those traveling from regional areas or requiring extended stays.
Major construction remains on schedule, with the new hospital set to be completed by late 2025.
![A Medicare bulk-billed urgent care clinic, established by the federal government to help reduce emergency department pressures, has unexpectedly closed in Bundaberg, Queensland, less than a year after opening. Located 400 kilometres north of Brisbane, this clinic was one of 75 launched across Australia since June 2023 to redirect non-life-threatening cases away from hospitals, allow emergency departments to focus on the most critical cases.
Since its opening in November last year, the Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) has provided care to hundreds of patients. However, it unexpectedly closed its doors on October 22, with plans to reopen a week later. A sign now indicates that it is "closed until further notice." This makes the Bundaberg UCC the only one of its kind in Australia to shut down.
Patient Sue Hackett expressed her surprise upon arriving at the clinic on Tuesday when she found it closed. “I looked on the website, and it actually showed it was open... I've come here assuming they're open,” Ms. Hackett said.
Julie Sturgess, chief executive of the region's public health network Country to Coast, told the ABC that she could not provide specific details regarding the reasons behind the abrupt closure of the Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic. “There are ongoing negotiations with the provider of that service,” Ms. Sturgess stated.
In response to the closure, a free phone service called Connect2Care has been established, allowing callers to speak with a registered nurse for their urgent care needs. “If further care is required, such as seeing a GP, we can organize an appointment either with your regular GP or a phone or video consultation with an online GP through that service,” Ms. Sturgess explained.
Additionally, some GP practices in Bundaberg are extending their hours to accommodate extra appointments. The Bundaberg UCC was operated by the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre (IWC), a non-profit Aboriginal-controlled health organization that serves the entire community. The IWC has declined to comment on the closure.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler informed the ABC that services at the Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic are expected to resume shortly.
The Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ) has expressed ongoing concerns regarding the viability of the federal government's urgent care clinic program. AMAQ President Nick Yim emphasized that these clinics often duplicate services already provided by GP clinics. “We believe the federal funding for these clinics would be better invested in existing general practices around the state,” Dr. Yim stated.
Sue Hackett shared that she was able to secure a same-day appointment at a GP clinic, but it would come at a cost. “I just want to go to a place where I can get sorted with my medical condition, plus I don’t have to pay,” she expressed, highlighting the challenges many face in accessing affordable healthcare.
Tim Spargo, the owner of the pharmacy located next to the Urgent Care Clinic, emphasized the critical role the clinic has played in the community. He noted that when travellers forgot their chronic condition medications or prescriptions, he could direct them to the UCC for assistance. “In the 11 months that it's been open, it has really served a vital purpose … it has taken that pressure off [emergency departments],” Mr. Spargo stated, expressing the urgent need for such services in the area.
"What's clear is that federal Labor is unable to deliver on their commitments, and the people of Bundaberg and the surrounding district, who desperately need additional services, have been let down," he said. "No matter who you talk to, whether it's the GPs themselves or others, they are just overrun with work, and what should be a godsend is now closed."
In response, Mr Butler reiterated that patients can still receive assistance through the phone line, which will "help ensure the Bundaberg community's urgent care needs continue to be met."
Meanwhile, newly elected Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has pledged an additional half a billion dollars to reduce ramping across the state to below 30 per cent over the next four years. Queensland Health data from April to June this year indicates that 44.7 per cent of patients were not transferred off ambulance stretchers within 30 minutes. This issue is particularly pressing for Bundaberg Hospital, which has been struggling with high demand and limited resources. Crisafulli also promised to recruit 34,200 additional health workers by 2032.](https://c3eeedc15c0611d84c18-6d9497f165d09befa49b878e755ba3c4.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/photos/blogs/article-832-1730723697.jpg "Bundaberg Urgent Care Clinic Closes Abruptly, Leaving Patients in Uncertainty")
