THE $1.1 billion Frankston Hospital redevelopment is nearing completion, with patients to be accepted from early next year. The new 12 storey tower will open its doors on 20 January. It will include 130 more beds, new spaces for mental health and oncology services, 15 new operating theatres, and a rooftop helipad.
The $1.1 billion works, funded by the state government, also includes new maternity, obstetrics and paediatric wards; a women’s clinic; and a special care nursery to support new babies. An entire floor has been dedicated to endometriosis and pelvic pain multidisciplinary clinic services, an advanced laparoscopic gynaecology specialist, and an allied health team including physiotherapy.
Health infrastructure minister Melissa Horne said the redeveloped hospital would have capacity for 35,000 patients a year. “This is the largest ever health infrastructure project in the region – with millions of hours of work completed by thousands of construction workers, it’s fantastic to see main works complete,” she said.
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke said he is looking forward to the upcoming opening of the new tower. He said “this project is a gamechanger for our local community and once doors open next month, local families will have better access to care and support on their doorstep.”
As part of the redevelopment, the hospital has been renamed Peninsula University Hospital. Works have been undertaken on the existing emergency department on a dedicated paediatric zone, and a new mental health and alcohol and other drugs hub.
The project has been in the works for some time, with the state Labor government promising $562 million towards it prior to the 2018 election. Construction crews broke ground in 2022, with more than 5200 workers putting in time on the project. The redevelopment is a joint effort between the Victorian Health Building Authority, Peninsula Health, and the Exemplar Health consortium.
A statement from Peninsula Health read that “the redeveloped Frankston Hospital will have modern facilities, amenities and equipment that will support the delivery of enhanced care and patient and staff wellbeing. Increased service capacity will provide more access for people living locally, improving wait times and enabling patients to access more clinical support services closer to home.”
“The redevelopment also includes a new main entrance, multi-deck car park and two state-wide emergency department initiatives: a five-bed emergency department mental health, alcohol and other drugs hub, and a dedicated paediatric zone. Works on the new Frankston Hospital began in June 2022, near the emergency department on Yuille Street,” Peninsula Health said.
Peninsula Health has been rehearsing patient transfers into the new tower prior to the opening next month.
January marks a period of significant change for Peninsula Health. At the turn of the new year the health provider will merge with Alfred Health, Bass Coast Health, Gippsland Southern Health Service, and Kooweerup Regional Health Service to form Bayside Health.
First published in the Frankston Times – 23 December 2025