07 Jun 2017 Euroa Gazette, Euroa VIC (General News) by Will Murray THE $168.5 million redevelopment of the Shepparton Hospital announced in the Victorian budget last month moved a step closer to commencement with the shortlisting of three construction firms to carry out the build. The redevelopment of Goulburn Valley Health includes three new operating theatres, two new wards and a larger emergency department. This will include 64 inpatient beds, 10 intensive care unit beds, seven operating theatres, a 12-bed maternity department, 10 special care nursery cots and a dedicated eight-bed paediatric ward. The new emergency department will have 36 treatment spaces and a nine-bed short stay unit, doubling the current emergency capacity at the hospital. Dialysis patients will also benefit from a new and expanded 16-chair unit. Lendlease Building Contractors, Kane Constructions and Multiplex Constructions are the three firms who will be given the opportunity to put forward a final bid for the massive project, which will increase the hospitals capacity by around a third. The successful bid will be decided in August, with construction works to get underway by the end of the year. Goulburn Valley Health is the regions largest hospital, and serves many patients from the Shire of Strathbogie. Independent Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed said the expansion of the hospital will mean the facility can cope with an expanding and ageing population into the future, and that patients can now receive a high standard of care without travelling too far from home. It will see us through for many years and provide us with local care, she said. We wont be getting in cars driving to Bendigo, to Albury, to Melbourne to get basic care, having families camping on their childrens sofas in places in Melbourne while they try to get their treatments. Ive had a close association with this hospital all the years Ive lived here, its been very important to me to see that we get a modern facility in our town that matches other hospitals. Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes welcomed the next step in the redevelopment project. This is an exciting Labor Government project for Shepparton that will create more than 140 jobs during the peak of construction, Ms Symes said. As part of the build, Labor is committed to creating as many jobs as possible, using many local tradespeople and suppliers. Under Labor it means patients, staff and the Goulburn Valley and surrounding communities will finally get the modern, first class hospital they need and deserve. The project is scheduled for completion in 2020. Caption Text: COMING SOON: An artists representation of the hospital post-redevelopment. NEW FACILITIES: The new 16-chair dialysis unit (above). MAJOR OVERHAUL: The extended emergency department from Graham Street (right). Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.