The fullstop has been put on The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital’s $317.6 million redevelopment, with the capacity to now treat an additional 7,000 patients each year.
Victorian Minister for Health and Health Infrastructure, Ms Mary-Anne Thomas, officiated the opening of the redeveloped world class specialist health, research and education facility, unveiling a plaque commemorating the occasion.
“The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital has a long history of delivering world-renowned care, treatment and research – this redevelopment will help them continue this groundbreaking work,” Thomas said.
“More Victorians will now be able to get the specialist eye and ear, nose and throat public health care they need with the hospital upgrade expanding its capacity.”
The upgrade – which supported more than 2,500 local jobs – boasts a new 13-cubicle 24-hour emergency department (ED), ED Short Stay Unit with four 24-hour beds, perioperative suite with eight upgraded operating theatres and 14 recovery spaces, as well as a further 37 same-day beds and 42 consulting rooms.
There is an additional inpatient ward with 24 beds, and a dedicated floor for clinics, offering more than 90 specialist services.
Improved teaching, training and research facilities are now on upper levels, with patient services located on the first three floors of the buildings to improve navigation across the hospital. The redevelopment also delivered a new Central Sterile Services Department and a full upgrade of the hospital’s engineering infrastructure and central plant, making the facility safer and more efficient.
Thomas revealed the Victorian Government invested $144.7 million toward the project, with the Commonwealth providing $100 million, and the hospital an additional $72.9 million.
Australia’s only eye, ear, nose, and throat hospital
The hospital delivered more than 130,500 ophthalmology services in the 2022/23 financial year, including 28,180 emergency department presentations, 12,580 inpatient admissions and 95,072 seen in specialist clinics.
The hospital’s CEO Mr Brendon Gardner said he looked forward to seeing the impact the redeveloped hospital would have on metropolitan, regional and rural patients.
“As Australia’s only eye, ear, nose, and throat hospital, this signifies a new chapter in our 161-year history,” he said. “As Victoria’s third oldest public hospital, our specialist knowledge and expertise position us well to continue to provide the best care for Victorians over the next 160 years and beyond.”
Established in 1863, the Eye and Ear was instrumental in developing the world-leading bionic ear, which later became the groundbreaking Cochlear implant. It is Victoria’s leading provider of eye and ear health, integrating clinical care, research and education to optimise innovation and provide advanced treatments for vision and hearing loss.
Mr John Desmond recently became a patient after sustaining a traumatic eye injury while chopping wood at his home. A large wood chip struck his left eye causing blunt trauma. After presenting at the local ED in Mansfield, he was advised to travel to the Eye and Ear.
His treating surgeon, Associate Professor Penelope Allen and head of the Eye and Ear’s Vitreoretinal Surgical Unit, had to remove the lens and the treat extensive bleeding.
“Treating traumatic eye injuries like John’s require additional years of training and skills on top of general ophthalmologist training. We see several eye injuries per week through our Emergency Department and collaborative management from subspeciality units is very beneficial for their care,” she said.
The Eye and Ear is nationally and internationally renowned for teaching, training and research since its founding in 1863.
“The Eye and Ear was built on three pillars; care, training and research,” Dr Allen added.
“What is most profound to me is that we are all still upholding these principles today. The Eye and Ear is the leading trainer of ophthalmologists in Victoria through RANZCO. Doctors from all over the world come to train at the hospital in ophthalmology and otolaryngology, to learn from leaders in the industry, colleagues, renowned here and internationally. Our dedication to research and improving patient’s lives now and in the future is something I know we constantly strive for.”
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