Media Release: $10M EXTRA FOR CUTTING-EDGE HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PREMIER, MINISTER FOR HEALTH

DATE: Wednesday, April 13, 2005

$10M EXTRA FOR CUTTING-EDGE HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT

Victoria’s public hospitals will receive an extra $10 million to buy the latest medical equipment, the Acting Premier, John Brumby, and Health Minister, Bronwyn Pike, announced today.

Visiting the Alfred Hospital today to inspect a $1.4 million state-of-the-art multi-slice CT scanner already funded as part of this year’s initial equipment grants, Mr Brumby said the extra $10 million would take the total provided to hospitals for equipment this year to $27 million.

The new scanner will improve the treatment of trauma patients and other patients who need head and neck scans, because it is four times faster than the old machine – meaning many more people treated, with less discomfort.

“The Bracks Government is working to ensure all Victorian families can access quality health care, and a vital part of this goal is making sure the community has access to the latest medical equipment,” Mr Brumby said.

“We are turning around our health system by investing in new hospitals and new equipment, ensuring patients get the support and treatment they need.”

Ms Pike said the Bracks Government recently made the allocation of $17 million in funding to hospitals based on their applications for major pieces of medical equipment.

“This extra $10 million will help hospitals further update their medical equipment, and either replace items that are nearing the end of their life or provide new diagnostic services to patients.”

This funding will be allocated over the remaining months of this financial year.

Ms Pike said the initial allocation enabled public hospitals around the State to buy much-needed medical equipment such as patient monitoring and diagnostic devices.

“The allocations enable the purchase of ‘big-ticket’ pieces of equipment that improve the quality of care and help meet the growth in patient demand,” Ms Pike said.

“Hospitals are not always able to finance the more expensive items through their general operating budgets, so the Bracks Government provides extra one-off funding.”

Operating suite equipment, sterilisation systems, colono-videoscopes, angiography cameras and endoscopy equipment are among the items which are being bought by the hospitals.

“Victorian hospitals need to stay abreast of developments in medical science and technology to ensure that they continue to provide the best possible care to patients,” Ms Pike said.

“This funding will enable hospitals to purchase the latest equipment to take advantage of advances in medical technology, and to allow them to be more efficient and cater for greater patient demand.”

Ms Pike said much of the initial $17 million in equipment grants were to update or replace outdated or obsolete devices, including sterilisation and washing units.

She said the initial $17 million in equipment funding included $1.2 million for a digital subtraction angiography unit at the Western Hospital, $606,240 for an ultrasound system and intensive care ventilators at Frankston Hospital and $1.4 million for a new CT scanner at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Rural public hospitals received $4.5 million of the funding for important upgrading and replacement programs.

Hospitals to benefit include Barwon Health at Geelong with $520,000 for laparoscopic equipment, $112,500 towards arthroscopic equipment at South West Healthcare at Warrnambool, $50,000 towards a new steriliser at Seymour Hospital and $325,000 towards a new CT scanner at Wimmera Health Care Group.

Ms Pike said the Bracks Government was rebuilding the public hospital system with a capital upgrade program and the development of a longer-term equipment funding strategy.