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Health | October 20, 2022

Green light for Willaura hospital upgrade

East Grampians Health Service will receive $7 million towards upgrading the Willaura hospital if a Liberal and Nationals Government is elected in November.

Member for Lowan Emma Kealy and Shadow Minister for Health Georgie Crozier made the announcement while visiting the hospital today.

“The Liberal and Nationals are committed to first-class health facilities in country areas and see redevelopment of the Willaura campus of the East Grampians Health Service as vital to ensuring the future wellbeing of the local community,” Ms Kealy said.

“The hospital community has done a fantastic job with the redevelopment plan, and I am proud to announce that an elected Liberal Nationals Government will contribute the $7 million in state funding that is required to make this project a reality.”

Ms Kealy said members of the local community would benefit greatly from the project, which would include a purpose-built GP clinic; private ensuite bathrooms for ten rooms to improve care and privacy for patients; an extension of the dayroom to increase the area available for dining and recreation; ramps to improve disability access to the building and a disabled toilet; and a reception and waiting area to improve security and amenity.

“The existing buildings at the Willaura Hospital are significantly aged and in urgent need of major works to support the fabulous staff at the East Grampians Health Service to deliver the best possible healthcare to our local people,” Ms Kealy said.

“We know that attracting and retaining clinical and support staff is getting harder in regional Victoria, which is one of the many reasons we need to ensure our rural health facilities are first-class.

“The Liberal Nationals have already committed more than $1.5 billion to bring regional Victorian hospitals up to date and have announced that we will shelve Daniel Andrews’ $34.5 billion rail line from Cheltenham to Box Hill and reprioritise every single cent of that funding into fixing our broken health system.

“I am proud to be part of a Liberal and Nationals team that recognises that people living in and around Willaura deserve to access great health services locally, and they will be supported by a fantastic purpose-built GP clinic and other important upgrades.

“Victorians will have a clear choice in November – more of Daniel Andrews’ all talk and no action approach or a Liberal Nationals Government that will deliver first-class health facilities for all Victorians, not just those living in metropolitan Melbourne.”