More Victorians to have more access to better hospitals and services

Victorians of all ages and in communities across the state will benefit from one of Victoria’s biggest capital investments in hospitals and health services, announced today in the 2008-09 State Budget

The Minister for Health, Daniel Andrews, said the 2008-09 State Budget provided $364.4 million for health service capital works across the State, on top of $30.5 million for new maternity wards.

“More than 1.3 million patients are admitted to Victoria’s public hospitals every year and this is growing,” Mr Andrews said.

“With demand growing, the Brumby Labor Government is taking action to deliver quality health services for Victorian families.”

Mr Andrews said funding for key stages of redevelopments at Sunshine and Warrnambool hospitals were part of the program, as well as new emergency departments at the Dandenong and Bendigo hospitals.

Mr Andrews said key projects in the health capital works program were:

• $73.5 million for Stage 2 of the Sunshine Hospital redevelopment. This will provide a radiotherapy facility with four bunkers and a new teaching training and research facility. The radiotherapy service will be the first public service located in the western suburbs;
• $70.1 million for the second phase of South West Healthcare’s Warrnambool Hospital redevelopment. Funding includes a new inpatients’ building and associated facilities;
• $25 million for the redevelopment of the Dandenong Hospital emergency department, increasing its capacity from 35 to 55 treatment spaces (including a 20-bed short-stay unit). The work will also boost diagnostic, pharmacy, pathology and outpatient services;
• $9.5 million to redevelop the Bendigo Hospital emergency department to provide an eight-bed short-stay unit to better manage patients requiring stays of less than 24 hours;
• $8.5 million for infrastructure upgrades at Box Hill Hospital including theatre, electrical and mechanical service works;
• $23.6 million to the Hospital Energy Supply Project to ensure continuity of critical healthcare services to six of Victoria’s major public hospitals in the event of disruptions to the State’s electricity supplies;
• $5 million to the Medical Equipment Replacement Program to replace essential equipment with new and updated technology;
• $1 million for detailed design work at the Alexandra District Hospital redevelopment, to deliver an entirely new integrated hospital and community health service;
• $21 million for a new Latrobe Community Health Service building in Morwell, including new offices, consulting rooms and facilities for allied health such as alcohol and drug services, counselling, physiotherapy, district nursing, palliative care and five new dental chairs;
• $4.9 million for new dental chairs in Melton to train student dentists completing their studies at the La Trobe University’s Bendigo campus;
• $2 million for the planning and design of new and refurbished facilities at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital;
• $14 million to develop a new Day Hospital in Sunbury. The Sunbury Day Hospital will provide residents with specialist medical care, including diagnostics, pathology, rehabilitation and day surgical procedures;
• $1.3 million to relocate MonashLink Community Health Service clinical services from the existing facility in Ashwood to a new site off Warrigal Road;
• $1 million for the planning of new purpose-built facilities for MonashLink Community Health Service in Oakleigh and Glen Waverley; and
• $104 million for the HealthSMART program to secure a statewide ICT network to be used by all public health services across Victoria.

Mr Andrews said the investment came on top of the Brumby Labor Government’s $1 billion Royal Children’s Hospital project.

“Works at the new RCH are well and truly underway with construction beginning on schedule late last year. Currently the excavation of the new site is taking place and there is a webcam at www.newrch.vic.gov.au where Victorians can see the progress,” Mr Andrews said.

“Since 1999 this Government has almost doubled health service funding, with more than 61 hospitals and aged care facilities rebuilt or upgraded and more than 8000 extra nurses employed, and we are taking action to address the challenges of the future.”