The new $543 million Victorian Heart Hospital - located within Monash University’s Clayton campus - is one step closer to beginning construction, with a builder already appointed and the preferred design revealed.

“The first designs show a world-class hospital that places patient needs and wellbeing at its very heart. It will save and change thousands of lives,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.

The new specialist, stand-alone heart hospital is going to be Australia's first and it is going to be built by John Holland. Works on the Victorian Heart Hospital are expected to commence by the end of this year.

The Victorian Heart Hospital will be focusing on cardiovascular health and it will have 195 beds with the capacity to provide up to 2,000 cardiac surgeries each year. The new hospital will also have the capacity to provide 13,500 cardiac laboratory procedures as well as 28,300 cardiac emergency presentations and 108,000 consultations.

The latest telehealth technology will be available at the new hospital which will enable specialists to conduct appointments remotely, removing the need for regional Victorian cardiac patients to travel for their appointments.

“Our State is at the forefront of breakthroughs in treating heart disease. This hospital further cements our reputation as the world’s best and gives Victorian patients better access to the latest advances in cardiac care,” Minister for Health Jill Hennessy said.

Construction of the Victorian Heart Hospital is expected to support up to 1,700 jobs and approximately 90 per cent of the materials that will be used to build the hospital will come from local industries.

The Victorian Heart Hospital is projected to be completed and operational in 2022.

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Source: Premier of Victoria, Urban Melbourne, Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority