May 2005

Billion dollar boost for hospitals

A new statewide health advice line, a massive boost to hospital emergency departments and a blitz on elective surgery are at the centre of a $1 billion increase in health funding.

Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said the Budget built on the Government’s strong record of turning around the health system to make sure Victoria remained the best place to raise a family.

Ms Pike said a major feature of the new funding was a special allocation of $30 million over two years for a blitz on elective surgery waiting times for up to 10,000 patients experiencing long times to treatment.

Another groundbreaking initiative is an $8.5 million statewide Health Assist Line, staffed by nurses to respond to calls from Victorians and provide advice and referral to health services.

The Government will also spend $110 million rebuilding emergency departments across the State and improving the way they treat Victorians.

Ms Pike said a $578 million increase in recurrent funding would expand hospital services in response to continuing growth in demand for additional beds and other essential services, including emergency department and intensive care services.

The new hospital funding also provides for:

• Hospitals to hire 900 more staff to enable them to admit an extra 40,000 patients this year;

• More life-saving services, including emergency and intensive care, blood products, dialysis, radiotherapy and chemotherapy;

• More community-based rehabilitation for hospital patients, more ‘step down’ care for older patients, palliative care services and more access to paediatric rehabilitation;

• Continuation of the Hospital Admission Risk Program (HARP) which aims to prevent unnecessary admissions;

• A Perinatal Emergency Referral Service as proposed in the Future Directions for Victoria’s Maternity Services policy;

• More hospital-based mental health inpatient services and more mental health liaison positions in emergency departments as a component of the recent A Fairer Victoria statement.

‘New investment in 2005–06 will concentrate on bringing down waiting times for emergency patients and elective surgery and further reducing avoidable hospital use for people with chronic and complex conditions,’ Ms Pike said.

Over four years the Budget also provides recurrent funding of:

• $21.6 million to establish three new 24-hour ambulance stations and two new peak period units;

• $2.6 million to expand Forensic Drug Treatment services;

• $8.4 million to expand the number of hospital-based workforce placements in disciplines including medicine, nursing and allied health;

• $70 million over four years to fund initiatives in mental health as announced in A Fairer Victoria.

‘In addition, $358 million over four years will also be invested in new capital projects to continue the expansion and upgrading of public hospitals, ambulances, and community health centres, including a massive push to upgrade Victorian emergency departments,’ Ms Pike said.

These initiatives are in addition to the upgrading of more than 200 extra aged care beds across Victoria as part of a $111 million Budget funding boost for older Victorians.

• For more information on the Budget visit www.budget.vic.gov.au.