Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas yesterday toured the new building which will house key support services including a state-of-the-art pharmacy, pathology and a new education and learning centre.

The new six-storey building on Drummond Street will also provide power to the entire hospital, ensuring backup during any unexpected outages.

CEO Dale Fraser said Grampians Health was committed to developing future-focused infrastructure to enhance healthcare services, with the new building serving as a testament to this commitment.

Mr Fraser said one of the features of the new building was the state-of-the-art pharmacy robot which would store, manage and supply medication.

“Grampians Health aims to embed technology, research and innovation to meet our community needs so we are extremely pleased to now have such a high-tech piece of equipment to safely and efficiently dispense medication for our inpatients and outpatients,” Mr Fraser said.

“As part of our strategic priorities, we are also committed to enhancing skills and knowledge to support a high performing culture. Our new building houses our Education Centre on Level 2, featuring a high-fidelity simulation lab, control room, mock ward and flexible teaching spaces.

“These advanced facilities will enable our nursing and midwifery staff to train with cutting-edge technology, ensuring we continue to deliver the best care to our communities.”

A new data centre is also a key feature of the building, supporting the digital operations of all Grampians Health campuses while enhancing both patient care and operational efficiency. 

Chief Redevelopment and Infrastructure Officer Veronica Furnier said the completion of the new building was a significant milestone, symbolising both progress and our dedication to preparing our healthcare service for the future.

“In helping design this new building, Grampians Health meticulously considered all aspects of environmental sustainability to ensure it supported best practices,” Ms Furnier said.

“We also wanted to ensure that our new facility was welcoming to all and have introduced non-gender bathrooms throughout the building. First Nations artwork will also be installed soon to help support Grampians Health’s commitment to fostering supportive, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for all.

“We are really pleased that this facility embraces innovation, offers unparalleled support and will help us to deliver the highest quality care to patients.”

Deakin University will move into Level 1 of the new building while Grampians Health’s Digital Health (IT), Pathology, Capital Projects, Engineering Administration and Environmental Services Administration will also be housed in the new facility.

With Stage 2 of the BBHR now complete, the focus now shifts to Stage 3 works which are well underway with piling works and other preparatory works.

Stage 3 will see the construction of a new main tower, featuring a ground-floor emergency department, a state-of-the-art theatre suite and an extra 100 inpatient and short-stay beds.

Construction of the main tower is expected to be completed by 2027, increasing the hospital’s capacity to treat at least 18,000 more emergency patients and 14,500 inpatients annually.

For more information on the Ballarat Base Hospital Redevelopment, please visit www.bhs.org.au/redevelopment.