| State budget 2000
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FROM THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH
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Tuesday, May 2, 2000
MAJOR UPGRADES FOR PUBLIC HOSPITALS
The Bracks Government has provided a boost of $154 million for new capital projects to begin this year
to build and upgrade public hospitals, Health Minister John Thwaites said today.
"The Bracks Government is committed to rebuilding our public hospital system, not selling it off or
privatising it like the previous government," Mr Thwaites said.
He said the Government would provide $37 million for the redevelopment of the Royal Women's
Hospital.
"The Royal Women's Hospital will receive a funding boost to redevelop the operating and day procedures
unit, birthing suites and complex care and neonatal intensive care units for newborn babies," Mr Thwaites
said.
"The Government has also provided funding in this Budget for major upgrades and expansions of hospitals
in growth areas at Frankston and Sunshine Hospitals," he said.
Mr Thwaites said the Frankston Hospital would receive $12 million for a 76-bed redevelopment of the
general ward, coronary care and emergency department.
"The Sunshine Hospital will receive $8 million to build two new operating theatres, upgrade medical and
surgical wards, and complete renovations to the imaging department.
"A further $2 million is provided for the expansion of neonatal facilities at hospitals including the Angliss,
Dandenong Hospital, Monash Medical Centre, Ballarat Base Hospital, Werribee Mercy Hospital and
Sunshine Hospital."
Under the Bracks Budget hospital equipment across the State would be upgraded with $20 million. Fire
risk management in hospitals has also received a $20 million boost.
Mr Thwaites said unlike the previous government, the Bracks Government was committed to ensuring
that regional and rural hospitals received a reasonable share of budget funds.
He said the Government would provide an extra $42 million for capital funding for regional and rural
hospitals to ensure they were centres of excellence. The rural capital works included:
· $11 million for the redevelopment of the Kyneton and District Hospital to provide 32 acute care beds
and 20 aged care beds as well as extra rooms for allied health services;
· $15 million for the redevelopment of the Colac Hospital to provide new maternity delivery suites,
operating theatres, accident and emergency areas and wards, and work at Swan Hill District Hospital;
· $10 million for a new radiotherapy unit at the Bendigo Base Hospital (the Government is also committed
to providing radiotherapy services at Ballarat and the Latrobe Valley); and
· $6 million for the completion of the redevelopment of Ballarat Base Hospital which includes refurbishing
its emergency and imaging facilities, intensive care, day surgery, outpatients and allied health and ancillary
services.
"In addition, $3 million will be provided for metropolitan, provincial and rural public hospitals to buy
medical and other equipment needed to meet Australian Standards and Infection Control Guidelines," he
said.
"The Government will also build two new integrated care centres at Sunbury and Preston at a cost of $5
million each and provide funding to improve community health centre facilities in Sunshine, Essendon
and Daylesford."
Mr Thwaites said the Bracks Government was committed to a major redevelopment of the Austin and
Repatriation Medical Centre, and had committed $5 million in 2000-01.
"The Government stopped the privatisation of the Austin Hospital and established a Steering Committee to
advise on the best way to proceed with the redevelopment of the hospital," he said.
"Planning for the Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre redevelopment will continue this year."
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