Page 170 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 February 2018
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2011-12 financial year and the 2015-16 financial year, the number of hospital beds in the ACT increased significantly, by around 17.8 per cent. The latest available data also revealed that the ACT outperformed the national average of the rate of available hospital beds.
To support the needs of our medical practitioners and growing population, the government is investing in a healthier future for Canberra. By undertaking smart, forward-thinking investments, we will make our already strong healthcare system even better. To help see continued positive trends in the employment of medical practitioners, midway through this year the University of Canberra will see the opening of our University of Canberra rehabilitation and research hospital. This significant health investment will become Canberra’s centre of rehabilitation research and education and provide the foundations for research to help future medical practitioners in the ACT and around the world. With the increasing ageing population in the ACT, this is a well-timed and much-needed investment that will see our health system equipped to deal with future capacity and demand.
Canberrans continue to be some of the healthiest people in the country. While, unfortunately, smoking continues to remain a leading cause of preventable illness and death in Australia, the latest figures from the Productivity Commission’s ROGS found that 14.8 per cent of adults were daily smokers across Australia, but that Canberrans were still the least likely to smoke, with the lowest proportion of daily smokers aged 18 years and over.
Nonetheless, the government has continued to send a very clear signal to the community and acknowledge the dangers of smoking for our health. After significant community consultation, last year the Chief Minister and the minister for health made the decision to designate public transport waiting areas smoke-free. Our government’s decisive and community-informed actions in preventing smoking will continue to support the health system’s first-class operation into the future by protecting Canberrans from the harm of preventable illnesses.
Canberrans also continue to live longer than ever. According to the latest statistics, again from ROGS, Canberrans are expected to live to the age of 83 years and two months. To place this into context, we are expected to live longer than people in any other state or territory, and our life expectancy at birth beats the national average by almost a year. Canberrans have consistently provided a high average life expectancy at birth. This is something that comes as little surprise to me, because I hear regularly from my constituents about the fantastic care that is provided through the Centenary women’s and children’s hospital.
Our government wants to give young Canberrans the best start in life, whether it is through education or through our healthcare system. We are doing this through investing in and supporting the health and wellbeing of our youngest citizens. We have much to be proud of. The ROGS report reveals that the ACT has more nurses and midwives per head of population than the national average. To support the fantastic work of these medical practitioners and health professionals, the government will oversee the expansion of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. This
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