Page 2016 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 7 June 2017

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video

(a) expanding the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children with new services, including a new child and adolescent mental health unit, an adolescent gynaecology service, a new paediatric high-dependency unit and paediatric intensive care beds;

(b) delivering and planning for three new walk-in centres in Gungahlin, the Weston Creek region and the inner north;

(c) investing in our nursing workforce, including through hiring more graduate nurses and nurse navigators to help Canberrans get the best frontline health care possible;

(d) planning for a major expansion of the successful Hospital in the Home program which especially benefits older Canberrans; and

(e) making it easier for Canberrans on the southside to access bulk-billing GP services through a new grants program;

(4) acknowledges that mental health is an important part of overall health and wellbeing and that the 2017 Budget will also invest in better mental health support for Canberrans, including through:

(a) more specialised interventions and support for pregnant women, new mothers, children, adolescents and older people;

(b) better suicide prevention through partnerships with the Black Dog Institute and the Wayback Program; and

(5) recognises the inherent linkages between a healthy lifestyle and positive health outcomes and notes the 2017 Budget will further invest in preventative health including through:

(a) a new Territory-wide preventative health strategy supported by an additional $4 million in new resources aimed at helping all Canberrans live longer, healthier lives; and

(b) significant new investment in active transport including building the Belconnen Bikeway and enhancing community path networks in high priority areas to make walking or cycling an easier transport option; and

(6) calls on the ACT Government to continue investing in the health and wellbeing of Canberrans through prevention, primary, community and acute health services and facilities.

The irony of my moving a motion today on health and wellbeing is not lost on me, however, I always support our wonderful health system in the ACT and use it frequently. The budget the Chief Minister moved yesterday proposes to spend a very large amount of money on the health and wellbeing of Canberrans: $1600 million is a very large number and it is a very large part of the ACT budget. I am sure some would

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video