Northern Hospital opens world-class intensive care unit

Critically ill patients in one of Victoria’s fastest growing regions now have access to world-class intensive care with the opening of Northern Hospital’s $22 million intensive care unit (ICU).

The new state-of-the-art ICU forms part of a massive $162.7 million expansion designed to meet growing demand in the outer north. Once complete, the project will mean an extra 10,000 patients can be treated each year.
 

ICU opening marks phase one of major expansion

The new 18-bed ICU has many features that mark it as an example of a cutting-edge medical facility, including central monitoring, making the workspace more efficient and safer for doctors and nurses. Other hi-tech equipment includes switchable privacy window films to offer better comfort and care for patients and their families.

The opening of the ICU clears the way for phase two of the development to begin. This larger project will see a seven-storey tower built with 96 new inpatient beds, three new operating theatres, a kitchen and more treatment rooms.

With phase 2 due to be completed in 2021, the works will have delivered 66 new construction jobs as part of phase 1 and a total of 489 by the time the project is completed.

Growing demand for services in Melbourne’s north

Situated in Epping, the Northern Hospital is the largest service provider of acute, maternity and sub-acute specialist health services in the northern growth corridor. In the past year, Northern Hospital’s emergency department exceeded 100,000 patients for the first time in its history.

Ultimately, the hospital expansion will reduce treatment time in the emergency department and reduce waiting times for elective surgery in the region.

Learn more about the Northern Hospital expansion via our dedicated project page.