South Australian families will benefit from another multimillion-dollar healthcare boost, as annual funding for the Women's and Children's Hospital hits the $300 million mark in this year's Marshall Liberal Government Budget.
As part of our record investment in the South Australian health system, an additional $26 million in 2020-21 (up to $300 million from $274 million in 2019-20) has been allocated to the Women's and Children's Health Network.
The additional funding for 2020-21 comes after the independent Auditor-General report shows the Marshall Liberal Government has already provided funding for an extra 155 FTE at WCH since the election.
The Hospital is also undergoing a major $50 million capital works program delivering a newly upgraded neonatal intensive care unit, theatres, paediatric emergency department, mental health ward and other structural and technical upgrades.
"The Marshall Liberal Government is committed to ensuring South Australian women and children have access to world class healthcare, closer to home, as we build a nWCH collocated with the Royal Adelaide Hospital," Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said.
"As the state's major hospital for some of our most vulnerable people, it is essential that the WCH can operate at the highest possible standard, and I'm proud to deliver this significant investment that will better support the health and wellbeing of all South Australians.
The funding and staff boost contrasts the former Labor Government's neglect of the hospital.
Under Labor, annual activity-based funding fell by 3.5 per cent ($5.7m) from 2012/13 to 2017/18 but under the Marshall Liberal Government it has increased by nearly 12 per cent to 2019/20 (about $18.5 million).
The Marshall Liberal Government has boosted the public health workforce by 286 full-time nurses and midwives since the 2018 election (2017-18 13130 to 13416 nurses from 2017/2018 to 2019-20)* Source - Auditor General's Report.
"Our clear focus remains on building health infrastructure that matters to South Australians while providing better healthcare closer to home and this further boost in funding for the Women's and Children's Hospital is helping us to deliver on that commitment," Minister Wade said.
The Marshall Liberal Government is delivering for the WCH:
* 155 more FTE
* $26 million funding boost for 2020/2021
* $50 million in capital works, contributing to the employment of more than 250 jobs
