Page 3358 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 17 September 1991
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Health
The allocation for health in this budget will maintain the full range of high quality services during the difficult transition from three public hospitals to two. Additional funding of $6.7m has been provided this year to assist with relocation costs, unavoidable short-term duplication and management of the change. The Board of Health has offered substantial productivity improvements. In particular, the board will commence an integrated day surgery service at Woden Valley Hospital. The improvements will allow the board to reduce the number of beds required to be opened and staffed, and to pull back from last year's spending level, which included an unauthorised $6m overexpenditure.
The Board of Health will be attempting to maintain elective services at current levels. Overall admissions will be at or above 1989-90 levels. Work will proceed on the $38m diagnostic and treatment block at Woden Valley Hospital. The $14.5m obstetrics block, which includes a birthing centre, will be opened in November. Expenditure this year on the redevelopment project will be $32m. Management information systems in health will be upgraded to assist the board in monitoring and controlling health expenditure.
Although the Government has made the announcement previously, I wish to confirm that the Acton Peninsula site will be retained in public ownership and for public purposes. Specifically, my Government has decided in principle to locate non-acute public health facilities on the site. This will include rehabilitation and aged care, convalescent and hospice care services, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Home for mothers and babies. Forward planning for a hospice on the site will begin this year, with a view to starting construction in 1992.
I am pleased to announce the establishment of an integrated palliative care service in the ACT. This service, which will cost $434,000 in a full year, will ensure the continuation of existing home based palliative care as well as the creation of a single integrated service for the ACT. Importantly, the Government and the Board of Health will be working with New South Wales toward a strategy for health care and service delivery across the region, including the Queanbeyan District Hospital.
Education
We have a quality government education system which is the envy of every other State and Territory. My Government will not let that quality be eroded. We have already reopened Cook and Lyons schools. Teacher-student ratios have been maintained. Supplementary resources in areas such as reading recovery and English as a second language will continue to be provided. The allocation to government schooling will be affected by the overall restraint on
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