Major progress has been made by the Andrews Government on redeveloping Australia’s only eye and ear specialist hospital following the completion of parts of the new clinical areas.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, toured the upgraded Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital’s existing eight-storey facility that will have a combination of new builds and refurbishment of old facilities.

The $153 million project is working towards a new inpatient ward, an emergency department short-stay unit, a service for unclear diagnosed eye conditions that require assessment, and an education precinct holding a surgical skills lab and a library.

The Premier said his government is giving healthcare workers the resources they need to keep giving Victorians the care they deserve.

“The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital delivers more than half of Victoria’s public eye surgeries, which is why these redevelopments are vital to ensure the hospital can keep up with demand and deliver world class treatment,” he said.

The developments are set to be completed by the end of 2023. The hospital has continued to carry out world-leading work for Victorian families throughout the process.

Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, said the redevelopment is vital to safeguard the hospital’s future and ensure it remains Australia’s largest public provider of specialist eye and ear, nose and throat services in Victoria.

The hospital sees more than 171,000 patients per year with over 38,500 emergency attendances, delivering more than half of Victoria’s public eye surgeries.

The hospital will celebrate its 160 years of caring for Victorians this month.

Photo: Doctor with a stethoscope by Marco Verch available HERE and used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.