The funding announcement came in the same week the service appointed a contractor for the works.

The theatre at Nhill Hospital provides general, orthopaedic, dental and eye surgery, as well as ear nose and throat surgery. It 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, to bring the theatre in line with new safety and quality-related standards.

Related: Nhill upgrade work announced

The service’s chief executive Ritchie Dodds said the group was extremely pleased with the government funding, which Wimmera Health Care Group will also benefit from.

“As people might recall, we were forced to temporarily suspend surgery earlier this year after it became apparent that to continue using the theatre in its current configuration might present otherwise avoidable risks to the health and well-being of our patients and staff,” he said. 

“We also needed to ensure that the layout and design of our theatre and central sterile services department areas would fully comply with the Australian Standard that relates to the reprocessing of reusable medical devices, which comes into full effect by the end of 2021.”

Mr Dodds said the health service board last week appointed Locks Constructions to complete the works.

“This announcement is very timely and also shows great faith in our surgical service and its long-term sustainability,” he said.

“Initially, there was hope that this project would be concluded prior to the end of this year. However, due primarily to our insistence that a thorough tender process be undertaken in all respects, we are now looking at an estimated projection completion date of March 2019.”

Wimmera Health Care Group will use its government funding allocation of $982,000 to replace two washer-disinfectors and drying cabinets, and install two heat sterilisers.