| Tuesday, 20 July 2004
PIKE ANNOUNCES $4.4M FOR EXTRA HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT
The Bracks Government has provided $4.4 million for extra diagnostic equipment and works at the Frankston and Alfred hospitals, the Health Minister, Bronwyn Pike announced today.
Ms Pike said the Bracks Government was providing $3 million to upgrade and redevelop the medical imaging department at Frankston, and $1.4 million for a new CT scanner at the Alfred.
She said the $1.4 million for the Alfred CT scanner was on top of the $17 million given to hospitals around the State this year through the targeted equipment program. The $1.012 million x-ray machine and digital fluoroscopy machine at Frankston were funded through the program.
“When the Frankston Hospital project is completed next year, the 300,000 people living in the southern bayside suburbs and the Mornington Peninsula will have easy access to some of the most advanced medical imaging technology and treatment available,” Ms Pike said.
“The project includes installation of a new $162,000 general x-ray machine before the end of August and the redevelopment of the medical imaging area to accommodate a further additional general x-ray machine plus an additional ultrasound machine.
“A new $850,000 digital fluoroscopy machine providing digital subtraction angiography will also be installed in this area.
“Planning has commenced for the redevelopment and partial reconfiguration of the existing radiology department with expansion into adjacent areas which housed wards that were relocated during the $21 million hospital redevelopment in 2002.
“Since 2000 there has been an average annual demand in growth of radiology services of around 8 per cent. In 2003 Frankston Hospital carried out more than 1200 radiology procedures a week, reflecting its position as the principal public radiology service for Frankston and the Peninsula.
“The Bracks Government is contributing $3 million, including the new equipment for the radiology redevelopment and a further $500,000 towards the expansion has been raised by the Pink Ladies volunteer group,” Ms Pike said.
Ms Pike praised local member Alistair Harkness, who has lobbied tirelessly for the upgrade.
She said the CT scanner in the Alfred’s imaging department was now nine years old, and no longer worked efficiently.
“The Bracks Government is providing the funding now as an advance on the Alfred’s future equipment allocation so that the Alfred’s patients will not be disadvantaged,” Ms Pike said.
“Today’s equipment is able to deliver images significantly faster, meaning ill and injured patients can be examined a lot more efficiently and with a lot less discomfort.
CT scanners are specialised x-ray equipment used to obtain cross-sectional images of the body in patients with cancer, stroke and other vascular diseases, infectious diseases and acute abdominal and thoracic conditions, and after serious injury.
“With the Alfred being a busy major trauma hospital, there is a high demand for CT scanner images of patients as a matter of urgency,” Ms Pike said.
“Patients will be able to be processed much faster with the new equipment. The latest multi-slice technology improves examination speed from one to 16 slices at a time, allowing patients requiring urgent scans to be treated more quickly.”
Ms Pike said the Alfred uses its CT scanner technology 24 hours a day, so the more efficient equipment will enable doctors to utilise it on many more patients.
Tuesday, 20 July 2004
PIKE ANNOUNCES $4.4M FOR EXTRA HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT
The Bracks Government has provided $4.4 million for extra diagnostic equipment and works at the Frankston and Alfred hospitals, the Health Minister, Bronwyn Pike announced today.
Ms Pike said the Bracks Government was providing $3 million to upgrade and redevelop the medical imaging department at Frankston, and $1.4 million for a new CT scanner at the Alfred.
She said the $1.4 million for the Alfred CT scanner was on top of the $17 million given to hospitals around the State this year through the targeted equipment program. The $1.012 million x-ray machine and digital fluoroscopy machine at Frankston were funded through the program.
“When the Frankston Hospital project is completed next year, the 300,000 people living in the southern bayside suburbs and the Mornington Peninsula will have easy access to some of the most advanced medical imaging technology and treatment available,” Ms Pike said.
“The project includes installation of a new $162,000 general x-ray machine before the end of August and the redevelopment of the medical imaging area to accommodate a further additional general x-ray machine plus an additional ultrasound machine.
“A new $850,000 digital fluoroscopy machine providing digital subtraction angiography will also be installed in this area.
“Planning has commenced for the redevelopment and partial reconfiguration of the existing radiology department with expansion into adjacent areas which housed wards that were relocated during the $21 million hospital redevelopment in 2002.
“Since 2000 there has been an average annual demand in growth of radiology services of around 8 per cent. In 2003 Frankston Hospital carried out more than 1200 radiology procedures a week, reflecting its position as the principal public radiology service for Frankston and the Peninsula.
“The Bracks Government is contributing $3 million, including the new equipment for the radiology redevelopment and a further $500,000 towards the expansion has been raised by the Pink Ladies volunteer group,” Ms Pike said.
Ms Pike praised local member Alistair Harkness, who has lobbied tirelessly for the upgrade.
She said the CT scanner in the Alfred’s imaging department was now nine years old, and no longer worked efficiently.
“The Bracks Government is providing the funding now as an advance on the Alfred’s future equipment allocation so that the Alfred’s patients will not be disadvantaged,” Ms Pike said.
“Today’s equipment is able to deliver images significantly faster, meaning ill and injured patients can be examined a lot more efficiently and with a lot less discomfort.
CT scanners are specialised x-ray equipment used to obtain cross-sectional images of the body in patients with cancer, stroke and other vascular diseases, infectious diseases and acute abdominal and thoracic conditions, and after serious injury.
“With the Alfred being a busy major trauma hospital, there is a high demand for CT scanner images of patients as a matter of urgency,” Ms Pike said.
“Patients will be able to be processed much faster with the new equipment. The latest multi-slice technology improves examination speed from one to 16 slices at a time, allowing patients requiring urgent scans to be treated more quickly.”
Ms Pike said the Alfred uses its CT scanner technology 24 hours a day, so the more efficient equipment will enable doctors to utilise it on many more patients.
Media contact: Ben Hart on 9651 5799 or 0407 445 551 www.vic.gov.au
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