The New Bendigo Hospital will open on January 30, 2017, health officials and state member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan say.
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Speaking at the site of the $630 million facility on Friday morning, Bendigo Health board chairman Bob Cameron said the hospital would be fully operational by that date, with all patients on site.
“We want (January 30) to be business as usual for Bendigo Health with the new hospital here,” he said.
“The objective is to move (patients and services) over two days. That’s going to be a big task.”
An important second stage – the construction of a car park – would be completed by mid-2018, Mr Cameron said.
“There’s going to be 1350 spaces in the new car park (and) underneath the new hospital.
“The car parking problem we have in this part of the city will significantly change after the middle of 2018.”
Ms Allan said construction, which was now largely focused on fitting out the new hospital’s interior, would continue until the end of the year.
“There’s around 600 workers still on site. Most have moved to the inside stage,” she said.
“(January 30) is a really exciting deadline to be able to provide to the local community.”
Bendigo Health chief executive officer John Mulder said the next 11 months would be an exciting time despite the logistical challenges involved in transitioning to a new hospital.
“A lot of work is already being done behind the scenes to ensure our staff are prepared to move into this new world-class facility,” he said.
Construction started on the hospital project in 2013.
The hospital is the largest infrastructure project currently under way in Victoria. When finished it will include 372 inpatients beds, 72 same-day beds, 10 operating theatres, a regional cancer centre, an 80-bed integrated mental health facility, a mother and baby unit, a helipad and parking for 1350 cars.
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