Coailition Pledges $2m to WGHCoalition Commits to $2 million Emergency Department Upgrade
Gary Blackwood, Member for Narracan along with Ted Baillieu, Leader of the Opposition has today announced the Liberal National Coalition would, in government; support an immediate $2 million re-development for the Emergency Department at the West Gippsland Hospital.
The announcement comes as the West Gippsland Emergency Department faces unprecedented demand on its services which are operating well beyond the Brumby Governments own recommended benchmark standards for capacity.
'In the past four years the West Gippsland Hospital Emergency Department has experienced an increase of 3,000 presentations to beyond 17,000 a year,' Mr Blackwood said.
'This commitment today by the Liberal National Coalition recognises that increase in Emergency Department presentations, and at the same time acknowledges the brilliant work done by those in the department with limited resources.'
The Brumby Labor Government has long chosen to ignore requests for additional funding to meet the growing needs of the West Gippsland Hospital.
'We have spent considerable time raising the concerns of the West Gippsland Hospital within Parliament and the Governments inaction is one reason why today we are making this commitment,' said Mr Blackwood.
'As a Coalition we recognise the need for a swift upgrade to meet the needs of the West Gippsland Community, and as such this will be an early priority should we be elected to Government in November.
'This is a strong indication of the Coalitions commitment to the long term future of the West Gippsland Hospital.
'The long term future redevelopment of West Gippsland Healthcare will be a focus for a Coalition Government in its first term if elected,' Mr Blackwood said. | 
