Page 147 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 February 2018
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few months ago. I have had so many comments from around the electorate about not only what a great facility it will be but also how well it fits in with the surrounding landscape.
The Canberra Hospital will also be getting significant upgrades. It will be home to the new $500 million surgical procedures and interventional radiology and emergency centre—SPIRE. This transformative facility will enable the continued delivery of world-class health services as our population grows. SPIRE will deliver more hospital beds, more elective and day surgery spaces and state-of-the-art surgical, procedural and imaging facilities.
I could go on, and I will. There is $70 million to expand the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, $17.3 million for significant upgrades to acute aged care and cancer facilities at the Canberra Hospital, and upgrades to the helipad at Canberra Hospital last year. Our investment in hospital infrastructure has been quite staggering.
But it does not stop there. Many of us—touch wood—only need to be admitted to a hospital a few times in our lives. In those instances it is comforting to know that we are being treated at the highest possible standard, with access to the very best facilities. However, it is just as important that when we do become quite unwell or our kids come off second best in an adventure on the playground we have easy access to affordable and effective health care.
From my own personal experience, I can attest to the wonders of nurse-led walk-in centres in such instances. Offering free, high-quality health care without an appointment, nurse-led walk-in centres fill the gap between the first-aid kit and the GP for minor illness or injury. The nurse-led centres in Belconnen and Tuggeranong have proven extremely effective in supporting community healthcare needs and taking the pressure off our GP and hospital systems.
While I have not come off second best in the playground, I have certainly had to be there for a range of things, including strep throat, and I have always been seen very quickly and very professionally. I actually look forward to going there because I know how smooth and easy it is. We want more Canberrans to have easy access to these straightforward and effective walk-in centres. We have committed $14 million to open new nurse-led walk-in centres in the Gungahlin and Weston Creek regions, as well as a healthcare centre in the inner north.
After my own experience with the Belconnen walk-in centre, I have been singing its praises to constituents and friends. I even recommended to someone on Twitter the other day that that might be where they would like to go next time, after they had a less than great private experience. I am genuinely excited for more Canberrans to have the benefit of a walk-in centre servicing their suburb.
A world-class healthcare system is about more than just building some equipment, though. It is characterised by the quality of the workforce who care for and treat our patients. It is underpinned by an attitude of innovation and creativity that supports and rewards medical developments so that our community has access to cutting edge treatments.
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