Page 1912 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 5 May 2009
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We will establish a 16-bed Surgical Assessment and Planning Unit at the Canberra Hospital at a cost of $25.4 million to provide quick transfer of surgical patients from the emergency department to specialist surgical care.
An additional $2 million in each of the next four years is provided to meet the growth in demand for surgery, building on the $49 million already put into surgery over the past six years which has resulted in record levels of access to surgery and a significant reduction in the number of people waiting too long for treatment.
We have allocated $10.5 million over four years to provide an additional two intensive care beds at the Canberra Hospital.
Medical retrieval services will be boosted by $5.4 million over four years and $10½ million is allocated to establish a walk-in centre at the Canberra Hospital.
A new public diagnostic mammography service will be established at the Canberra Hospital with $3½ million over four years.
We are experiencing an increased demand for cancer services. $4.2 million over the next four years has been invested for the Capital Region Cancer Service to meet this growth in demand and fulfil a key election commitment.
Mental health services in the ACT will receive $19 million over the next four years to help meet the demand for services, and support mental health workforce initiatives. $8.4 million has been allocated in the ACT’s 2009–10 Budget to meet the growth in demand for mental health services in our community.
The provision of $9.7 million over four years will enable the establishment of a Mental Health Assessment Unit to provide quick transfers to a specialised service for mental health patients who present at an emergency department.
The Budget has also allocated $600,000 over the next two financial years for mental health training for police, emergency service workers and teachers.
In addition $275,000 over the next two financial years expands the ACT Forensic Mental Health Court Liaison Team.
The Budget has allocated $11 million over three years to address issues such as childhood obesity, tobacco use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, adolescent health and healthy workplaces.
Our health system simply couldn’t function without the doctors, nurses, therapists, psychologists and the many others who, through their hard work and dedication, provide world-class care to the people of Canberra.
More than $20 million of initiatives have been funded, aimed at strengthening the health workforce, expanding the role of allied health professionals, establishing new health professional support roles and supporting and growing the Territory’s GP workforce.
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