$1.81 billion health budget boost for Victorian families

The more than 1.3 million Victorians admitted annually into the State’s public hospitals will benefit from the $1.81 billion State Budget boost to health, which delivers more funding for elective surgery, outpatient appointments, emergency departments and the single biggest investment in ambulance services in the State’s history.

Health Minister Daniel Andrews said the Brumby Labor Government was taking action to deliver quality health services for Victorian families near where they live – and the 2008-09 State Budget’s $466.9 million hospital, mental health and aged care capital works program would deliver redevelopments and upgrades in hospitals and health services across the state.

“The Brumby Government is taking action to ease pressure on our emergency departments, with this funding resulting in 60,000 extra patients being treated emergency departments across the State,” Mr Andrews said.

“It will also result in treatment for an extra 16,000 elective surgery patients and an extra 33,500 outpatient appointments.

“The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to make Victoria the best place to live, work and raise a family – and building quality hospital facilities is crucial to this aim.”

The $466.9 million hospital, mental health and aged care capital works program comes on top of:

• $30.5 million in new maternity beds and special nursery cots for mothers and babies;
• $25 million to the development of the Olivia Newton John Cancer Centre; and
• $8.1 million for new rural dental chairs in the Sunraysia and Wodonga regions.

Mr Andrews said $702.9 million from the 2008-09 State Budget would be directed to essential hospital services such as providing renal dialysis, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, extra elective surgery and outpatient appointments and expanded Day Hospital services.

“Extra funding will continue the elective surgery blitz the Brumby Labor Government commenced earlier this year to tackle long-waiting patients on hospital lists – and new specialist elective surgery centres will be opened at St Vincent’s and the Austin hospitals to provide a dedicated focus to cutting surgery waiting times,” he said.

Mr Andrews said Victoria’s more than 70,000 newborns and their families will be big winners, with a $100.3 million boost to mums, babies and wider maternity services set to ensure the youngest Victorians get the best possible start in life.

“Victoria is experiencing a once-in-a-generation baby boom, and the Brumby Labor Government recognises the need to ensure enhanced services are available to support mothers and children at birth, and to cater for maternal and child health,” Mr Andrews said

“Maternity expansions at suburban hospitals would give more mothers the opportunity to deliver their babies closer to home, family and friends.”

Mr Andrews said two new air ambulance helicopters, 258 additional paramedics, 59 new and upgraded services and the prospect of a new united state-wide ambulance service headline a $185.7 million State Budget boost to Victoria’s ambulance services.

“This is the biggest single investment into the State’s ambulance services in Victoria, and the results will be far reaching, with brand new services and extra services throughout the entire State,” Mr Andrews said.

“The Brumby Labor Government is also proposing the merger of the three ambulance services to provide one service for the whole State. Our Government has issued a consultation paper about the future shape of ambulance services in Victoria and we are keen to listen to community views.”

Cancer and chronic diseases will be targeted through a $233.3 million package to boost cancer detection, prevention and treatment, as well as a host of initiatives to tackle preventable diseases like obesity, heart disease and poor oral health.

Central to this is the Brumby Labor Government’s new $150 million Cancer Action Plan, which aims to increase cancer survival rates by 10 per cent by 2015, saving an estimated 2000 Victorian lives.

Binge drinking and the damage caused by alcohol misuse are being addressed through the $37.3 million Victorian Alcohol Action Plan – a comprehensive package of health, law and order, and education responses to the issue.

“The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to address the challenge of alcohol-related violence and binge drinking,” Ms Neville said.

“Our Government understands that many Victorians, especially parents, are concerned about the misuse of alcohol and the Victorian Alcohol Action Plan is key to the Brumby Labor Government’s commitment to making Victoria the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

Mr Andrews said the Budget included funding for the recruitment of an extra 592 general nurses over the next year to build on the 8000 extra nurses employed in our hospitals by this Government.

Victoria will contribute $55.1 million to fund postgraduate places to train an extra 211 doctors each year to meet shortages, particularly in country areas. This includes postgraduate training places each year to meet future workforce challenges especially in rural and regional areas and more teaching infrastructure to support doctor training in our teaching hospitals. The capital investment will also assist in nurse and allied health student training.

The Budget includes an extra $32.4 million for hospital initiatives to better manage demand and improve patient outcomes.

“The Commonwealth, the Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing and a recent report from the Productivity Commission all rate Victoria's hospitals as the best in Australia,” Mr Andrews said.

“This is because of our Government's record funding for health – a 112 per cent increase in hospital funding since 1999 and more than 8000 nurses and 1800 doctors added to the system.”