A dedicated new fund to rebuild rural and regional hospitals will ensure families in regional Victoria have access to the quality health care they deserve.
The Victorian Budget provides $200 million for the new Regional Health Infrastructure Fund to put the needs of patients, doctors, nurses and healthcare workers first.
The fund is the largest of its kind in Victorian history and will provide much needed upgrades for rural and regional hospitals to ensure Victorians, regardless of where they live, have access to quality health care when they need it.
The former Coalition Government gutted our hospitals, ripping $1 billion from our health system and underinvesting in building projects. Through our new Regional Health Infrastructure Fund, we’re turning our health system around and rebuilding our hospitals.
It will mean rural and regional health services can treat more patients more quickly, and our hardworking doctors and nurses have the modern and safe working environments they deserve.
Projects to be delivered through the new $200 million Regional Health Infrastructure Fund include:
- A $1 million contribution towards the $3.5 million Wimmera Cancer Centre
- $2.1 million for an urgent care centre at Moyne Health Service in Port Fairy
- $1 million to plan the West Gippsland Healthcare Group redevelopment at Warragul Hospital
Future projects will be determined through application-based funding rounds, with rural and regional hospitals and health services able to make submissions.
As well as rural and regional hospitals, the new fund will be open to public residential aged care services, registered community health services, bush nursing hospitals and bush nursing centres.
Projects designed to improve care, make hospitals more efficient, expand capacity, and increase comfort for patients and staff will be prioritised. Applications for the first round of grants will open shortly.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“Every Victorian deserves access to high quality, safe care when they need it. Our new Regional Health Infrastructure Fund will support our rural and regional hospitals to do just that.”
“This new fund will make sure our hardworking doctors and nurses in regional Victoria can do their job saving lives in a modern, safe environment.”
“From investing in the Wimmera Cancer Centre to providing a significant boost for an urgent care centre at Moyne Health Service, and planning the future Warragul Hospital, we are putting patients in rural and regional Victoria first.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020