Healthy project list for Stawell

Grampians Health CEO Dale Fraser and Chief Redevelopment and Infrastructure Officer Melanie Robertson will visit Stawell’s hospital this week to confirm the outcome of more than $8-million worth of projects listed for the campus. 

As projects officer at the Stawell campus of Grampians Health, Kate Jackson has been busy ticking off on completed jobs to improve patient/client and staff experiences. 

That’s the good news … and the better news is that she has plenty more to come. Working with Stawell’s procurement manager Dean Knights, the pair have overseen several projects completed in the last six months. 

The hospital’s surgery team has been among the biggest benefactors with several new equipment additions to the theatre including two new pass-through Soluscope machines, a drying cabinet and a new sterile storage system. 

Other projects completed include a new GE ultrasound machine for the hospital’s radiology department and a sub-100kw solar system installed on the roof of the Macpherson Smith Residential Care campus. 

Kate said there were 13 other funded projects on which she was currently working. 

“The Procurement/Project team is working hard to keep progressing all the current projects,” she said. 

One of the bigger and more complex projects in the pipeline is the Nurse Call where a turnkey solution by VitalCare has been awarded. It will replace all existing nurse call uses as well as supporting many other areas including patient/resident management. 

Another important job on the books is a refurbishment of Macpherson Smith Residential Care which will include the completion of new ensuites to be added to several rooms as well as landscaping and a storage area for mobility scooters. 

The team is also working on a variety of upgrades to Fire Services and power which will include a generator replacement – and a system upgrade to air handling units, replacing an aging 40-year-old system to address airborne infectious outbreaks such as Covid-19. 

Grampians Health Chief Redevelopment and Infrastructure officer Melanie Robertson said the 13 projects at Stawell totalled around $8.6-million. 

“That’s a significant investment from the Victorian Government into the Stawell campus,” Ms Robertson said. 

“It’s extremely important that we continue to provide new infrastructure for our western campuses to support Grampians Health’s mission to deliver more services locally.” 

Funding for the projects comes from the Victorian Government’s Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF) and the Medical Equipment Replacement Program. The RHIF provides vital government funding to rural and regional health services and agencies across Victoria so those services can continue to provide safe and efficient care to local communities.