PART of the Sunshine Hospital carpark could be taken over by a new emergency department, intensive care unit, operating theatre, radiology service and extra wards under future expansion plans.

The hospital’s director of capital and service development Stephen Gow said the Western Health “vision” for the hospital’s future would make it one of the biggest medical centres in Melbourne.

Mr Gow said the hospital would need about $800 million in funding to build the extension, but with the Western Suburbs population predicted to increase by 30 per cent in the next 15 years, medical services would need to keep up.

The hospital is currently building a $52 million Teacher Training and Research facility for Victoria University and Melbourne University medical and nursing students in the future.

The Federal Government contributed $7 million to the project, the State Government $28 million and the universities $8 million each.

The expansion also includes new operating theatres, birthing suites, wards, consulting rooms and an outpatients centre, funded with $180 million from the State Government..

Mr Gow said this was stage two of the hospital’s expansion plans and the $800 million expansion would be the final stage three.

Last week Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited the hospital to view the expansion and announce details of the Federal Government’s planned takeover of hospitals from the State Government.