Works well underway on Stawell Hospital project 

STAWELL - Works on the multi-million dollar Community Rehabilitation and Oncology Centre at Stawell Hospital are well underway, with demolition of the old allied health wing almost complete.

The new building's foundation is being prepared for the concrete floor slab and the old roof will be removed in coming weeks, to be replaced by a new one.

Stawell Regional Health Chief Executive Officer, Rohan Fitzgerald said he was pleased with the progress so far.

"It's exciting to see this project becoming a reality," Mr Fitzgerald said.

"It's going to be wonderful to be able to treat oncology patients in a modern, comfortable and private environment and offer rehabilitation patients access to state-of-the-art facilities."

Mr Fitzgerald said the new building will transform the patient experience.

"There will be four chemotherapy chairs with views of the Grampians, it will be nice and discrete," he said.

The 1000 square metre project equivalent to a quarter acre also includes the construction of consulting suites reception, waiting area, offices and gymnasium therapy area.

"This is quite an extensive and large project, it will provide a good linkage between the acute Hospital and Rehabilitation centre," he said.

Mr Fitzgerald said for the duration of the project, chemotherapy patients were receiving treatment in the hospital's day centre and outpatients were seeing their consultants in Building B.

He reminded the public that the car park and driveway between Building B and the helipad car park was closed during construction and all traffic was being redirected through the helipad car park.

The Community Rehabilitation and Oncology Centre is being been funded by a $3.5 million Federal Government grant and an $180,000 State Government contribution.

Local shearer Aaron Hemley raised $120,000 towards the oncology unit during a mammoth shearing marathon.