The Allan Labor Government is making sure regional Victorians can continue to access world-class care - with more funding for regional hospitals to expand and upgrade their services and facilities.
Premier and Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan today visited Bendigo Health to announce the 47 health services receiving a grant in the ninth round of Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF).
Worth a total of $75 million, the funding will support health services to deliver 61 projects and upgrades, including theatre refurbishments, expansions, equipment upgrades as well as funding to plan and design future projects.
Bendigo Health will receive $3 million for new surgical equipment, including a laparoscopy system, which will help to expand surgical capacity and reduce waitlists for women with chronic conditions like endometriosis.
The health service will also receive $1.2 million to upgrade its orthopedic and plastics tools, helping to deliver specialist surgical care, without patients needing to travel far from home.
This builds on existing projects supported by RHIF at Bendigo Health, including a new 15-bed wing at Golden Oaks Nursing Home and Central Sterile Department upgrades and bedside medical device upgrades.
Albury Wodonga Health will receive $4.4 million to expand its satellite renal dialysis unit, home dialysis service and Albury campus dialysis service - responding to growing demand across the region.
Mansfield District Hospital will use a $3.6 million grant redevelop its operating theatre and Urgent Care Centre - boosting patient safety and ensuring more care can be delivered closer to home.
While in Western Victoria, Beaufort and Skipton Health Service will receive $2.3 million to convert existing double rooms to single rooms and add three more single rooms at the Beaufort Nursing Home - improving the quality of accommodation and ensuring residents can age with the dignity they deserve.
Since establishing the RHIF in 2016, the Labor Government has funded more than 675 projects for regional health services - the largest program of its type in Victoria.
Now worth a total of $790 million - it plays a vital role in ensuring regional health services can attract and retain a highly skilled local workforce - with construction also supporting the creation of hundreds of jobs statewide.
From Ararat to Cobram and Bendigo to Gippsland, the Labor Government's RHIF has funded over 700 projects across the state -ensuring every family can access high-quality care, wherever they live.
As stated by Premier and Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan
"We're upgrading hospitals right across regional Victoria - making sure that no matter where you live, all Victorians can access the best health care in the very best facilities."
"These projects in Bendigo will deliver the latest equipment so our community can continue to get the care they need, close to home."
As stated by Minister for Health Infrastructure Melissa Horne
"We established the RHIF so no regional health service is left behind - where you live shouldn't determine the quality of care you can receive."
As stated by Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas
"Our regional health workforce does an incredible job caring for their communities - we're backing them with the facilities and equipment they need so they can provide the very best care."
As stated by Minister for Ageing Ingrid Stitt
"Across regional Victoria, many of our local health services also provide aged care - and RHIF helps them deliver the safe, modern environments older people deserve, so they can age with dignity and comfort, close to home."
