More ICU beds as Casey Hospital expansion boosts capacity

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Work on the $135 million Casey Hospital expansion project is complete, providing additional intensive care unit (ICU) bed capacity as the Victorian Government responds to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 13,000-square-metre expansion – one of the first successful expansions of an operating hospital public-private partnership (PPP) in Australia – comprises 12 ICU beds as part of the hospital’s new ICU, 128 multi-day beds, 12 day surgical beds as part of a new day surgery unit, and four additional operating theatres, all publicly operated by Monash Health.

It also includes upgraded pharmacy, pathology and back-of-house areas, more than 300 new staff and public car parks, and new education and training spaces for Monash University.

The expansion will see Casey Hospital each year treat more than 25,800 extra patients, perform an extra 8,000 procedures and support an extra 1,300 births. 

Plenary Chief Operating Officer Glenn Hay said on top of boosting the capacity of Victoria’s health system to help respond to the novel coronavirus pandemic, longer term, it will enable Monash Health to provide a more comprehensive clinical service.

“The current pandemic is a challenge to our healthcare system like nothing that has come before it, so we’re proud to have delivered such a critical piece of health infrastructure for the State of Victoria,” Mr Hay said.

“On top of providing critical ICU capacity, the expanded hospital will be able to cater for more patients, more surgeries and more births in one of Australia’s fastest-growing areas.”

The Plenary Health consortium – comprising Plenary, Watpac and BGIS – was contracted to design, build, finance and maintain the expanded facility for 10 years, aligning with the remainder of the original 25-year PPP contract.

Plenary was financial adviser and project manager for the expansion project, and continues to play a key role as investor and asset manager for the hospital, which it has done since 2004.

View the Victorian Government media release.