Temporary entry to the hospital

The main front entry doors to West Gippsland Hospital and Emergency Department will be closed until June 14.

An alternative doorway entrance into the hospital during the works will be through the east end doors of the Hospital located at the top of the first driveway along Landsborough Street (consulting suites driveway).

Signage will be in place to guide visitors and people are advised to follow the direction of traffic controllers and signage at all times.

People who require urgent admission to the emergency department or who need assistance to get in to the Hospital will still be able to drive through the main driveway and around to the back of the emergency department.

They should follow the painted yellow line which will take them along the main driveway around to the back of the emergency department.

There are two marked short term car parks for people who need assistance to get in. People are urged not to park in, or in front, of the ambulance bays.

A volunteer concierge team will be available during the day to provide directions and an intercom is in use to access the emergency department at night.

Hospital attendants will also be available to help people at the east entry doors to the hospital during the day or night.

To address car parking congestion, visitors and non-urgent patients coming to the hospital are advised to park in the large car park off Sargeant Street which is off Korumburra Warragul Road. Disability parking is also available there.

The Sargeant Street car park is linked to a lit pathway which provides a more level entry into the east end doors to the main hospital.

It also leads to pathology, consulting suites, district nursing, haemodialysis, endoscopy, oncology X-ray and other services.

WGHG chief executive officer Dan Weeks, said unfortunately the short term closure of the front main entry doors to the hospital was unavoidable and apologised for the disruption this would cause.

“Construction works are required to build a new all abilities ramp at the front entrance doors and link a new driveway and car park area across the front lawn of the hospital. For safety reasons the front entry doors will need to be closed while the work takes place.”

Mr Weeks thanked staff, patients and visitors for their patience.

“It has been a challenging few months with three construction projects underway simultaneously at the hospital which are planned for completion in the next few months.

The $9.3M project includes construction of an eight-bed short stay unit alongside the emergency department and a third operating theatre on level one of the main hospital funded under the Victorian Labor Government’s Regional Health Infrastructure Funding (RHIF) project.

A new roadway is also being constructed across the lawn area at the front of the hospital to provide additional car parking and create a new patient drop off area.

Mr Weeks said the projects would provide much needed short-term additional physical capacity on site to cope with the growing demands for services.

Regular updates regarding disruptions and parking and a hospital map can be found at: www.wghg.com.au or by contacting the Facilities Management Team on 5624 0595 or emailing: facilities@wghg.com.au