La Trobe and Healthscope invest in health skills

Healthscope and La Trobe University have officially opened La Trobe Private Hospital, a state-of-the art centre for patient care, research and education, located within La Trobe’s University City of the Future health precinct at its Melbourne campus in Bundoora.

Furthering La Trobe University’s commitment to world-class health innovation and excellence in education, La Trobe Private Hospital provides students and researchers with enhanced opportunities to develop job-ready clinical skills, while offering better health outcomes for patients in Melbourne’s rapidly growing northern suburbs.

The hospital was officially opened by the Hon. Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing, Member for Cooper.

A $25 million re-development by Healthscope, La Trobe Private Hospital is a 34-bed hospital with a focus on orthopaedics, general surgery, plastic surgery, and urology. The hospital offers four operating theatres and a four-bed High Dependency Unit, along with a new café, radiology clinic and consulting suites.

La Trobe Private Hospital will expand and enhance the longstanding partnership between La Trobe University and Healthscope, Australia’s only private hospital provider, to deliver additional clinical education placement opportunities for students, along with boosting research capability.

La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the opening of the hospital is the latest milestone in La Trobe’s ambitious University City of the Future which is transforming Melbourne’s north.

“La Trobe Private Hospital is driving healthcare innovation, as a place where world-class health care is combined with hands-on professional training and pioneering research. The hospital brings a wide range of health and education benefits to the local community while continuing to strengthen the University’s teaching, learning and research capability and excellence,” Professor Farrell said.

Healthscope CEO Greg Horan said the hospital enhanced the longstanding partnership with La Trobe.

"It's very exciting to see this hospital completed and fully operational. The redevelopment and re-opening of the La Trobe Private Hospital will provide critical new healthcare services to the rapidly growing northern corridor, as well as continuing our work to support and develop the next generation of healthcare professionals.”

La Trobe University Provost, Professor Rob Pike said La Trobe’s job-ready graduates will make a significant contribution to stemming the healthcare workforce crisis.

“We know how important clinical experience is for our allied health and nursing students to gain essential experience and industry knowledge as they start their careers, and the additional placement opportunities the hospital offers, will ensure our contribution to a highly skilled workforce.”

About La Trobe:
For more than 50 years, La Trobe University has been transforming people and societies. The University works collaboratively across disciplines and with partners to develop fresh ways of thinking and conducting research – constantly seeking new ways to engage with and better serve its partners and communities, to build relationships and develop solutions for the issues facing society. Along with holding its top 300 ranking in Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2024, La Trobe is the top improver among Australia’s top 20 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2024, rising 74 places to claim its new spot at 242 of the 1,500 universities evaluated. Read more about La Trobe here: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/

About Healthscope:
Healthscope is Australia’s only national private hospital provider, operating 38 hospitals across the country, and employing over 18,000 people. Healthscope offers world-class patient care, including medical and surgical services, mental health treatment and rehabilitation services.


Media Contacts

Sue Smethurst - s.smethurst@latrobe.edu.au, 0418 643 520

Hannah Settatree - media@healthscope.com.au, 0435 829 850