The Andrews Labor Government is delivering a bigger and better emergency department for Melbourne’s west, with detailed planning and designing about to begin on the multi-million-dollar expansion of Werribee Mercy Hospital.

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas today announced architects Lyons and engineers LCI have been appointed to the project, which will double the emergency department’s capacity and support an additional 25,000 presentations per year.

The expansion is part of a $236 million investment by the Labor Government to boost the capacity of the emergency departments at both Casey Hospital Berwick and Werribee Mercy Hospital.

The expansion at Werribee will increase treatment spaces from 33 to 67 including four resuscitation bays, 16 short stay beds, 36 emergency care cubicles and a behavioural assessment room.

The expansions will help ease pressure on the existing emergency departments for the hospitals’ dedicated doctors, nurses, orderlies and allied health workers – giving them a bigger state-of-the-art facility which will be designed to ensure they can deliver best possible emergency care.

The expansions will also help our hardworking paramedics get back on the road more quickly as the extra spaces to care for patients will mean more people can be seen at the same time.

The Government is also doubling the size of Casey Hospital’s emergency department, creating an additional 45 points of care and supporting an additional 52,000 presentations annually.

Delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA), both projects are on track to be completed in late 2026 and will create and sustain more than 1,000 jobs during peak construction.

This project is in addition to the Government’s more than $120 million expansion of Werribee Mercy Hospital which was completed in 2018 and delivered new inpatient beds, new critical care beds, new operating theatres and 54 new mental health beds.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas

“These appointments mean we are one step closer to delivering a state-of-the-art and expanded emergency department at the Werribee Mercy Hospital.”

“This bigger ED will ensure people in Melbourne’s west have access to world-class facilities when a loved one gets sick or when an emergency strikes.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Werribee Tim Pallas

“By doubling capacity at the emergency department at Werribee Mercy Hospital we’re helping our hardworking doctors and nurses treat more people and do what they do best – save lives and keep people healthy.”

“This adds to the more than $120 million invested in the expansion of critical care at Werribee Mercy, which was completed in 2018.”