Patients at Maroondah Hospital will benefit from better access to elective surgery, emergency treatment and sub-acute hospital bedsas a result of the Gillard Government's historic national health reforms.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the national health agreement will deliver a better deal for patients: more beds, more money and more services.
In visiting Maroondah Hospital today, Prime Minister Gillard was joined by Federal Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon and Local Federal Member for Deakin Mike Symon and said the local community would benefit from faster access to emergency department and elective surgery procedures.
Under this agreement, the elective surgery target for patients to be treated within clinically recommended times has been increased from 95 per cent to 100 per cent by 2016.
Patients will also benefit from reductions in emergency department waiting times with the new target ensuring that by 2015, 90 per cent of all patients presenting at an emergency department will be seen to within four hours
This is on top of the 20 sub-acute beds already announced for Maroondah Hospital.
Patients at Maroondah Hospital and around the nation can be confident that these health reforms will deliver world class care in their community.
Victorians will benefit from up to $822.1 million of Commonwealth Government funding including over $12 million for Eastern Health to improve elective surgery and emergency department services, increase the availability of sub-acute services and to undertake clinical redesign projects across the region over the next five years.
As part of the funding for Eastern Health, in November this year Angliss Hospital will commence work on creating ten new sub-acute beds and in February 2012 Maroondah Hospital will begin work on 20 new sub-acute beds. These new beds are being funded under one project totaling $5.7 million.
“This is a great example of what this new health deal will deliver - more Commonwealth investment in public hospitals, which means more beds, more services and better care for patients”, Ms Gillard said.
The Australian Government will step up to permanently pay for 45 per cent of growth in hospital services in 2014-15, increasing to 50 per cent in 2017-18.
This means the Commonwealth and States and Territories will share future funding growth for hospitals in an equal partnership.
Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said that this year alone the Victorian Health and Hospital System will receive up to $179.5 million from the Commonwealth, building on $250 million already received by Victoria to begin work on 160 projects.
“The benefits Victoria has already received demonstrate this Commonwealth and State partnership is providing the resourcesneeded for much better health services closer to home,” Ms Roxon said.
Local Federal Member for Deakin Mike Symon MP said that new funding for Maroondah Hospital demonstrates that the Gillard Government is investing in services where they're needed most.
“These new beds are particularly important here in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne where the population is growing and more and more health services are required.”
Ms Roxon said more Australian Government funded health and hospital projects would be announced as national health reform continues to deliver for the people of Victoria.