Bayside merger and Local Health Service Networks – what you need to know

Last updated 26 June 2025.

Local Health Service Networks

From July 1 2025, Victoria’s Local Health Service Networks (Networks) will be officially established. 

The Networks group health services within a geographical region and are responsible for supporting collaborative care for their community, as close to home as possible.

Bass Coast Health is a part of the Bayside Local Health Service Network. Our Network is made up of the
following health services:

• Alfred Health
• Bass Coast Health
• Calvary Health Care Bethlehem
• Gippsland Southern Health Service
• Kooweerup Regional Health Service
• Peninsula Health.

By working across the Network, our health services will be able to escalate your care to a larger or more specialist hospital if required and bring you closer to home for your ongoing care and recovery.

You will still be able to access all the health services you value most – but know that the Networks are working together to deliver better care for you.

More information about the Networks can be found on the Department of Health website.

 

Voluntary merger - Bayside Health (working title)

From 1 January 2026, Bass Coast Health (BCH) and Gippsland Southern Health Service (GSHS) are excited to be part of the new health service, Bayside Health (working title).

After extensive review and discussions, the boards of both health services decided to merge voluntarily with Alfred Health, Kooweerup Regional Health Service and Peninsula Health. The new health service will remain part of the Bayside Local Health Service Network, which will include Calvary Health Care Bethlehem.

The new health service will become part of a progressive new health service delivering improved healthcare to the communities of south-east metropolitan Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula, into the rural area of Cardinia Shire, the northern part of Western Port Bay, South Gippsland and the Bass Coast.

As a member of our community, the merger will bring you greater access to more complex care, with more specialist options, ensuring a seamless experience.

While the merger will come into effect on 1 January 2026, it will take some time to fully implement.

We’ve also been committed to ensuring services meet your needs and will continue to do so as the merger is implemented.

Our staff will also benefit, with greater career development opportunities, like working with a range of experienced clinicians and practitioners, if they choose to do so. This will ultimately benefit you.

Along with our staff, you’ll be engaged throughout the process, as we build even stronger relationships across Bayside Health.

We already work closely with our health service partners to help patients across Victoria. This merger is the next step in strengthening these partnerships, making healthcare more accessible and efficient, while ensuring better patient outcomes.

Stay tuned for further updates as planning progresses.

In the media:

basscoasthealth.org.au/news/bass-coast-health-and-gippsland-southern-health-service-join-merger