News

MBH welcomes upgrading works

Fri, 10 Mar 2017 02:47:00

Mildura Base Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit will be expanded and its Mental Health Unit modernised under a $4.5 million upgrade program announced by the Victorian Government today.

The expansion will begin later this year and follows on from the major MBH upgrade completed in other areas of the hospital two years ago.
MBH chief executive officer Julia Morgan said the new projects were a welcome investment in meeting the future needs of a growing community.
“Our Intensive Care Unit and High Dependency Unit is currently five beds but this project will expand the unit to eight beds,” Ms Morgan said.
“It’s one of the major projects we have pushed for, because ICU is one of the areas within the hospital that is often full,” she said.
“Our job as a hospital is to provide the right level of care for our patients in the right place, whether that is in the wards, in the High Dependency Unit, or in Intensive Care.
“The expansion of ICU and HDU improves our capacity to do that and means more of the most unwell patients can receive the care they need right here in Mildura, rather than being transferred away.
“For patients and their families that means getting the best of care but staying close to the support of home and family.”
Ms Morgan said the project was in addition to $400,000 in funding announced recently to expand the MBH Emergency Department Short Stay Unit.
“The expansion of the SSU and the ICU will provide us with an additional five inpatient beds altogether, and will have a significant impact on our ability to meet the health care needs of the community.”
Ms Morgan also welcomed the second element of today’s funding announcement, confirmation of funding to refurbish the Mental Health Unit.
“The renewal of this 14-bed unit will mean a more modern and flexible model of care is possible within the unit, that will be much more inclusive of consumer and carer participation,” she said.
“Our staff are fantastic in the services they deliver, but the current layout has some real restrictions in service delivery and we know that is not conducive to supporting the best outcomes for patients.
“The work will make the unit much more open, allowing better visibility and safety for staff, but also a friendlier, more comfortable atmosphere with activity rooms, a courtyard and a color palette that is much more calming for patients.
“The new layout will create a better flow of patient care and supervision during their episode and therefore much better outcomes.”
Ms Morgan said the Mental Health Unit project was a positive development, particularly with work starting on the new Mildura Prevention and Recovery Centre (PARC).
“PARC is a short-term recovery-focused residential service for people either leaving acute mental health care, or who would benefit from 24-hour support so they avoid a hospital admission,” she said.
“So, taking the two projects together, this is a huge investment in Mental Health Services in Mildura, and will offer services never seen before in mental health care in the Northern Mallee.”
The $4.5 million MBH development works come after a $15 million-dollar investment in Obstetrics, Mental Health, the Emergency Department and staff accommodation, completed in 2015.