Western Health is excited to confirm that construction on the New Footscray Hospital is nearing completion, with patient care to commence in February 2026. The announcement was made by the Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas, earlier today. This carefully planned timeline will help ensure a safe and smooth opening, enabling our teams to provide the highest standard of care from the moment patients walk through the doors. 
This marks an exciting and historic milestone — the realisation and delivery of the largest health infrastructure investment in Victoria’s history, right in the heart of Melbourne’s west.
Western Health Board Chair, Professor the Honourable Jill Hennessy, said: “This significant investment will transform the way care is delivered across the region, giving our growing communities access to modern, purpose-built facilities and services that continue to be close to home. It will also help strengthen our public health system for the future.”
The opening of the hospital follows the successful completion of construction and extensive building systems testing by our partners, Multiplex and Plenary Health, by the end of 2025. These essential works ensure the facility is safe, secure, and fully equipped to support outstanding clinical care.
With this foundation in place, Western Health will lead the final phase of preparation — a focused and coordinated effort to ensure every space, system, and team is ready to continue to provide exceptional care to patients and their families from the very beginning.
As we look ahead to opening the doors of the new hospital, Western Health is undertaking a comprehensive readiness program to ensure we are fully prepared to provide safe, compassionate, and high-quality care from the moment patients arrive.
Western Health is committed to ensuring a safe, seamless transition into this world-class hospital while continuing to provide the exceptional care our patients and community expect.
This marks the beginning of our ‘Move. Settle. Grow.’ approach. Following the move, we will focus on embedding new systems, stabilising operations, and supporting our teams as they settle into the new environment — all with the goal of continuing to deliver best care and outcomes for the people of the west.
“We are incredibly excited to begin this next chapter and deeply grateful to our staff, consumers, volunteers, partners and community for their continued support and trust”, said Western Health CEO, Professor Russell Harrison.
For more information, visit New Footscray Hospital | VHBA
