Page 1714 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 3 May 2011

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The 2011-12 Budget also provides $4 million for preliminary work on the future expansion of hospital services for the North side of Canberra. The Government will be building a new hospital on the North side of Canberra and this funding will be used to explore location options as well as undertake detailed project scoping and documentation, and explore financing options.

Funding of $15.1 million will enable the inclusion of further enhancements, and additional treatment spaces to the ACT’s new Integrated Cancer Centre, construction of which will begin shortly.

The annual Health Budget this year will grow to $1.1 billion as demand for health services across our community continues to increase.

Around $17.4 million in recurrent funding is allocated to increase the capacity of ACT hospitals by providing for the equivalent of 20 additional acute care beds, and will establish a new service for people suffering from neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease.

A further $8.3 million over four years is provided to increase the Canberra Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit by two beds and ten nurses and expanding its outreach services.

Access to surgery will be increased with an additional $10.4 million over four years to provide both increased access to elective and emergency surgery, bringing our annual target to 11,000 operations per year, and enhance paediatric ophthalmology and plastic surgery services.

This Budget also provides $7.7 million over four years for growth in obstetrics, gynaecology and other specialised birthing services for women and children, which will be delivered at the new Women and Children’s Hospital.

The Capital Region Cancer Service is provided with funding of $4.2 million over four years to meet increased demand for services and $6.7 million over four years is provided for the commissioning of a fourth linear accelerator in the Radiation Oncology Department.

The ACT Labor Government continues to invest in supporting the growing number of people in our community who live with mental health issues. Increased funding of $19.8 million over four years for mental health includes $13.8 million for the new Adult Mental Health Inpatient Facility. Other funding targets early intervention, prevention, and training for teachers, police and ambulance workers in addressing mental health issues, better equipping them to recognise and appropriately refer those needing support to overcome mental illness.

This Budget provides additional support for rehabilitation, aged and community care with funding of $4.2 million over four years to support the therapy programs delivered at the Village Creek Centre.


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