August 2010
Monash Medical Centre patient
Courtney Day, 12, and her mum Tracey Cann River.
Monash family room a boon for parents
Health Minister Daniel Andrews
officially announced the family room.
‘Almost $11 million was
allocated in the May, 2010, budget for the expansion of the paediatric acute
and intensive care services at Monash Medical Centre with four extra Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit cots, five additional paediatric intensive care unit beds
and 10 extra paediatric beds.
‘The expansion also included the
family room, located near the new paediatric facility.’
The Monash Medical Centre is one
of two Victorian hospitals providing tertiary paediatric services with more
than 25,000 children admitted in 2007–08.
The family room will provide a
comfortable, secure retreat for parents and families of children being treated
at the Monash Medical Centre, including a place to relax, sleep, shower and eat
away from their child’s bedside.
‘It will, as far as possible,
provide a normal, family-like environment for parents needing a break from a
hospital-like setting,’ Mr Andrews said.
Work on the new room is
scheduled for completion later this year.
The Government is contributing $250,000
towards the room.
‘When a child is critically ill,
parents are reluctant to leave the bedside, yet they need a break from the
continuing stress of the inpatient ward,’ Mr Andrews said.
‘This room will provide an area
of calm amid the medical setting.
‘More broadly, the expansion of
the paediatric acute and intensive care services at Monash Medical Centre
includes the involvement of parents and family to ensure the design of the
facility meets their needs, as well as the needs of staff.
‘It will ensure children living in Melbourne’s south east will have even better access to state-of-the-art paediatric care.’
