Melton is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Australia. During the 2021-22 financial year,more than 5500 new residential lots were released in the City of Melton – the highest number in Victoria.
The forecast 2023 population of about 210,000 is expected to surge to some 315,000 by 2036 – when the hospital expansion will be needed – the tender documents say.
Geelong’s public hospital has 406 beds for a current population of more than 270,000,while Ballarat Base Hospital has 785 beds for about 117,000 people.
Melton residents,however,have no easy access to a major hospital,serviced by a 42-bed regional facility in nearby Bacchus Marsh,which can only treat non-life-threatening conditions.
The tender documents emphasise to bidders the area’s social and health disadvantage:a high number of people from culturally diverse backgrounds,including refugees,asylum seekers and Aboriginal Australians with complex health needs;a high to very high level of psychological distress;and an ageing population where 90 per cent of all non-day stay visits to hospital are for people 70 or older.
Melton GP Marcus Watson said the hospital would be inadequate when it opened – and after the 2036 expansion.
“We need a 650-bed hospital now,and they’re opening a 274 bed hospital in six years,” said Watson,who was campaign manager for independent candidate for Melton,Ian Birchall,at the state election.
Watson,who is also treasurer of the Melton Hospital Group,a group of locals and doctors who started the campaign for a hospital in the area in 2017,said it was “just not fair”.
“We have low socio-economic people who don’t have the luxury of popping down to Cabrini or Eltham hospital,” he said.
“I see people suffering every day because of it,who need better attention.
“The government is happy to spend money on other massive projects,but is not interested in spending the money on us to build it big enough in the first place.”
Victorian Labor has held the seat of Melton for 30 years,including 15 of those in government.
A Victorian government spokeswoman maintained internal planning by hospital operator Western Health showed the Melton Hospital would be able to meet demand,pointing to the 500-bed hospital that is under construction in Footscray and due to open in 2025.
“The Andrews Labor government has made major investments in the west including $200 million for the new Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital and $34.9 million for the Sunshine Hospital emergency department – providing timely and world-class medical care only 30 minutes away from Melton,” she said.
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