Page 2820 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 14 August 2018
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This budget also includes $561 million in provisions for delivering major health infrastructure projects. This includes funding to progress the new surgical procedures interventional radiology and emergency centre, the SPIRE centre; the expansion of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children; and future hospital options for Canberra’s north side.
We would not be able to deliver the range of specialised health services our community needs without strong community partnerships and service funding agreements with a number of non-government organisations who provide much-needed and innovative health services to people right across our community. Through this year’s budget the government is proud to continue to support these organisations and the important services they provide Canberrans. This financial year over $43 million will be provided to around 80 non-government community organisations. With this funding they will deliver a range of tailored healthcare services, from advocacy to treatment programs to respite care, in many cases reaching some of Canberra’s most disadvantaged communities.
Another key element of the budget is the funding that is provided across our local hospital network for the delivery of services at Calvary Public Hospital, Clare Holland House and QEII. In 2017-18 the funding for these three services by our local hospital network totalled around $200 million.
It is important to recognise the important and significant role that Calvary Public Hospital in Bruce has in the delivery of health services in the ACT, in particular as we continue to see increases in the health needs of our community. To manage this, we need the future of public healthcare delivery in the ACT to be truly territory wide. That is why the ACT government is currently in formal planning and discussions with the Little Company of Mary on the future of public health service delivery in the ACT. This involves negotiations for a new agreement for our ongoing collaboration in the delivery of public health services. The approach will be more contemporary and will ensure the continued provision of quality patient care. It will also support infrastructure for patients and staff both in the immediate future and in the years to come.
I am pleased to say that this year’s budget also demonstrates our continued commitment to improving infrastructure at Calvary, with $15 million for vital capital upgrades at Calvary Public Hospital. This new funding will deliver additional treatment spaces, improved access and triage arrangements, enhanced waiting areas and an expanded short-stay unit, including additional paediatric spaces within the Calvary public emergency department.
At the same time we will support the replacement and upgrade of essential equipment, including clinical and diagnostic equipment like patient monitoring equipment. This builds on our previous investment in Calvary, with a $2.6 million upgrade of the maternity ward recently opened and looking magnificent, as well as the opening just recently of upgraded operating theatres at Calvary Public Hospital.
The government also spends over $10 million each year to provide palliative care services in the ACT. Calvary is funded to provide the majority of palliative care
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