The theatre – which provides general, orthopaedic, dental and eye surgery, as well as ear nose and throat surgery – has been closed since earlier this year.

The health service announced in May that maintenance work completed in early 2018 found more extensive structural work was required.

The service has completed an extensive review of the renovation works planned for the theatre, and is now working through a tender process to appoint a principal building contractor for the upgrades.

Works will include modifications to the theatre’s heating and cooling system – including how the theatre’s air is filtered; a new equipment and stock storage system; and remodelling the instrument cleaning flow to ensure the highest safety standards are met.

An architect and mechanical engineer have worked with the health service to prepare the work specifications. The service’s chief executive Ritchie Dodds said he anticipated renovations would be completed in early 2019.

“The preparation and planning for the theatre renovations has been an important process to ensure that our updated theatre will be of the highest quality and in line with new safety and quality related operating theatre standards,” he said.

“The project is a key priority to allow us to meet our community’s needs for locally-delivered surgical services by visiting specialists well into the future.

“We thank the community for their patience and understanding and we’ll continue to keep people informed of developments as and when they arise.”

The theatre operates two to three days a week on average. 

West Wimmera Health Service is working with Wimmera Health Care Group to help provide an alternative theatre service until Nhill’s theatre reopens.

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