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Big Boost for Regional Health Infrastructure FundHealth Care budget boosts for the Andrews Labor Government’s flagship Regional Health Infrastructure Fund. By Portal Admin - 13th May 2018 - Back to News More patients in Gippsland will be able to get the health care they need closer to home, thanks to a Budget boost for the Andrews Labor Government’s flagship Regional Health Infrastructure Fund.
Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing, today announced the Victorian Budget 2018/19 will include a $50 million boost so more hospitals and health services can benefit from the fund – bringing the total investment up to $250 million.
So far, the fund has allocated money to 172 projects across the state over two rounds, including more than $29.4m for health services in Gippsland
In round one, we invested a total of $24,467,219 in Gippsland as follows:
| HEALTH SERVICE |
TYPE |
PROJECT |
AMOUNT |
| Bairnsdale Regional Health Service |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Replacement of existing Chiller system servicing the Theatre Complex and Medical/surgical ward - Bairnsdale Hospital. |
$273,500 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Replacement of Operating Theatre and Recovery Room air handling units - Wonthaggi Hospital. |
$611,000 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Replacement of two neo-natal resuscitation cots - Wonthaggi Hospital. |
$55,400 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Replacement of water filtration system - Wonthaggi Hospital. |
$437,500 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Installation of sprinkler system to all bed based areas - Wonthaggi Hospital. |
$985,350 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Replacement of Instrument Drying Cabinet - Wonthaggi Hospital. |
$17,143 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Replacement of the central chilled water plant and associated equipment - Wonthaggi Hospital. |
$982,000 |
| Buchan Bush Nursing Centre |
Bush Nursing Centre |
Upgrade of Motor Vehicle - Buchan Bush Nursing Centre. |
$18,309 |
| Central Gippsland Health Service |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Expansion of the surgical services at Sale Hospital to include major orthopaedic surgery. |
$4,126,691 |
| Gelantipy District Bush Nursing Centre |
Bush Nursing Centre |
Upgrade of Motor Vehicle - Gelantipy District Bush Nursing Centre. |
$28,388 |
| Latrobe Regional Hospital |
Regional Health Service |
Expansion of the Special Care Nursery to treat neonates - Latrobe Hospital. |
$2,621,000 |
| Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre |
Bush Nursing Centre |
Installation of CCTV system - Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre. |
$3,945 |
| Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre |
Bush Nursing Centre |
Installation of an automatic switch for the backup generator - Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre. |
$6,993 |
| West Gippsland Healthcare Group |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Establishment and operation of a 3rd Operating Room and required infrastructure |
$6,000,000 |
| West Gippsland Healthcare Group |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Establishment and operation of 8 bed Short Stay Unit |
$3,300,000 |
| West Gippsland Healthcare Group |
Sub Regional Health Service |
Planning for redevelopment Warragul Hospital |
$1,000,000 |
| Yarram and District Health Service |
Small Rural Health Service |
Constructing new integrated Healthcare Centre - Yarram Hospital. |
$4,000,000 |
Meanwhile, in round two, Gippsland received $5,017,806:
| HEALTH SERVICE |
PROJECT |
AMOUNT |
| Bairnsdale Regional Health Service |
Acute ward Nurse call bell infrastructure |
$605,400 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Body protection to patient care areas |
$124,072 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Replacement air handling units |
$512,000 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Replacement of Emergency Lift |
$315,000 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Replacement fire panel |
$287,080 |
| Bass Coast Health |
Medical Air compressors and back up medical air manifold system |
$205,600 |
| Cann Valley Bush Nursing Centre |
Bush Fire safety improvement |
$49,654 |
| Central Gippsland Health Service |
Air cooled Chiller Replacement |
$466,000 |
| Dargo Bush Nursing Centre |
Vehicle Replacement |
$43,412 |
| Dargo Bush Nursing Centre |
Mobile ICT device for client communication |
$3,823 |
| Ensay Bush Nursing centre |
Vehicle replacement and refurbishment of ambulance parking bay |
$82,000 |
| Gelantipy District Bush Nursing Centre |
Increase power efficiency |
$7,255 |
| Latrobe Community Health Service |
Expansion of dental prosthetic services |
$304,758 |
| South Gippsland Hospital |
Reconfiguration of operating theatre and maternity suite |
$1,650,000 |
| Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre |
Vehicle replacement |
$15,785 |
| Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre |
Vinyl flooring replacement |
$5,967 |
| West Gippsland Healthcare Group |
Sub acute bed relocation |
$250,000 |
| West Gippsland Healthcare Group |
Residential aged care ceiling track and equipment |
$90,000 |
| TOTAL |
|
$5,017,806 |
More round two projects will be announced over coming months.
This year’s boost will fund even more projects to improve the quality and safety of hospital infrastructure, meet growing demand for healthcare and provide world-class equipment to improve patient outcomes.
Last year’s Budget delivered $1.67 billion to support hospitals to meet demand and provide the care Victorian patients deserve, as well as $428.5 million in new hospital upgrades.
This is in stark contrast to Malcolm Turnbull who has declared his intention to short-change Victoria’s hospitals by $2.1 billion – and put patients at risk – with his proposed and deeply flawed National Health Reform Agreement.
Across Gippsland this will hit patients and local families hard.
The agreement Malcolm Turnbull put on the table would mean a $92.3m shortfall for Gippsland that’s the equivalent of 309 doctors, 738 nurses or 13,129 elective surgeries.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
"Support for our regional health services is about more than just words – it’s about delivering real investment to make sure patients get the care they need, no matter their postcode."
Quotes attributable to Member for Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing
"Every Victorian deserves access to quality care when they need it. Thanks to the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund, we’re supporting our doctors and nurses to do just that."
"This Budget funding boost ensures that even more health services in Gippsland get the upgrades they need so more patients can be treated sooner, closer to home."
"Our investment is making a real difference to patients in Gippsland. We’re giving our dedicated doctors and nurses the modern facilities they need to save lives and keep us healthy."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: support@gippsland.com

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