$2.5 million investment in Armitage House
Armitage House, a cherished place where sub-acute care is provided at Wonthgaggi Hospital, will receive a $2.5 million upgrade through the Victorian Government’s Regional Health Infrastructure Fund on the back of significant community support and fundraising delivered in 2019-20.
“In 2019 we saw our community come together to raise money for this much loved local facility; many lives has been touched through the exemplary care offered by Armitage House staff. Victorian Government investment in this facility will enable Bass Coast Health to see significant improvement for our community and our staff,” said Jan Child.
Refurbishment to Armitage House will assist Bass Coast Health to mitigate clinical risk and upgrade essential services. Specific upgrades include:
- Installation in air conditioning in all patient areas
- Electrical Upgrades for all rooms
- Refurbishment of bedrooms (including new flooring, painting, joinery, renovated bathrooms, tap sensors to moderate temperature control, and new bed panels including nurse calls
- Hand basins in treatment spaces and corridors
- Refurbishment of communal areas to reduce cross infection risks (flooring, painting, joinery replacement, hand basins)
- Refurbishment of Dirty Utlity Room and Clean Utlity Room to remove all porous surfaces and replace with joinery that can be cleaned
“Our staff at Armitage House worked tirelessly at the peak of the COVID-19 risk, adapting to best meet the care of these vulnerable patients. This refurbishment program will make it much easier to manage infection risk with less disruption to our care,” said Jan. “It will also provide a more contemporary environment including a larger gymnasium, where people can recover”.
Round 4 of the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund was made by possible by a $100 millon allocation in the 2019-20 Victorian budget. The funding announcement by MP Jordan Crugnale signals another exciting piece in infrastructure investment in the Wonthaggi Campus of Bass Coast Health that will benefit the sub region.
The upgrades to Armitage House will coincide with the commencement of the Wonthaggi Hospital Expansion in January 2021. The Armitage House works plan involves demolition and removal of the end of the Armitage building, the creation of new bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas inside Armitage to replace those demolished, and the creation of the access road alongside the Armitage fence line.
To maintain quality and safe care, Armitage House will be temporarily vacated with sub-acute patients cared for within the Sleeman Ward while the refurbishment and changes take place in early 2021.
