Patients to move into new Bendigo Hospital

After 10 years of planning, designing and building, the new Bendigo Hospital is set to receive its first patients. 

Move day gets underway at 8am on Tuesday, with Bendigo Health set to transfer more than 200 people.

Patients will come from a mixture of locations, including the existing hospital, the rehabilitation inpatient unit at the Anne Caudle Centre, and Bendigo Health’s psychiatry facilities.

Staff have been preparing for the move for months, with training, orientation and induction delivered to more than 3000 workers before move day.

The new hospital’s opening marks the end of the $630 million project’s first stage.

The second stage will start within weeks, and is expected to be complete by June next year.

The Kurmala Wing and Stanistreet House buildings will be demolished to make way for a multi-deck carpark, a helipad, a conference centre and short-stay accommodation units. 

Bendigo Health chief executive officer John Mulder said the new hospital was world class. 

“We hope that you don’t have to use our services, from a medical perspective, but if you do you should take great comfort that not only in the best hands, as far as staff goes, but you’re in the best facility in the country,” Mr Mulder said. 

The state government handed the new hospital over to Bendigo Health on Friday.

An official opening will likely be scheduled for a few months’ time. 

Public and private sectors are working together to make the project a reality – a partnership involving the Victorian government and Exemplar Health. 

Bendigo Health remains hopeful its proposal for a centre of excellence in sub-acute care and the demolition of two towers at the Anne Caudle Centre campus will receive the support of government.

Mr Mulder said it would put the “cherry on the cake,” so to speak.

“But we have to say the Victorian government has been particularly generous to this community and we need to be patient,” he said. 

“Also we’ve given the federal government an opportunity to come and be part of this fantastic solution.”