The Minister for Health Infrastructure and Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas inspected the refurbished operating theatre at Daylesford Hospital earlier this week.

The theatre has been used for limited procedures over the past month.

The long awaited theatre upgrade was made possible by a $6.14 million grant as part of the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF).

The works also included upgrades to the patient waiting area, recovery and admission areas, as well as the sterile stock storage area and the Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) processing area replacing ageing patient monitoring and CSSD medical equipment.

“We’re ensuring that more locals across the region can get the care they need, closer to home now and into the future,” said Minister for Health Infrastructure and Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas. “This upgrade will help our hardworking local doctors and nurses to get people off the surgical waiting list sooner, while making delivering this care more efficient.”

With the region’s growing population, new and better facilities will also ensure that Daylesford Health and health service Central Highlands Rural Health is better placed to meet increasing demand for surgical services in future.

The RHIF provides vital funding to rural and regional health services and agencies across Victoria so they can continue to provide high quality care to local communities. It is the largest program of its type in Victoria with total investment now reaching $790 million since establishment in 2016.

This latest investment brings to more than $13 million the total amount of infrastructure funding provided to Central Highlands Rural Health including more than $1.36 million through the Surgical Equipment Innovation Fund to purchase laparoscopic equipment, endoscopy scopes and other equipment.

More than $1.34 million has also been delivered via the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program toward projects including new heating hot water boilers and upgrades to the facility’s water plant and power.

Relates stories:

New Daylesford Operating Theatres Open for Limited Procedures

This article is based on a media release from the Office of the Premier of Victoria.