03 June 2008

Major health investment in Greater Southern Area Health Service

The Iemma Government is investing $569.1 million to deliver better services and improve health infrastructure across the Greater Southern Area Health Service in 2008-09.

NSW Minister for Health Reba Meagher said the 2008-09 Health Budget provides an additional $32.4 million for the Greater Southern Area Health Service.

Ms Meagher said the investment in the Area Health Service is part of a $13.15 billion State Health Budget aimed at better managing chronic illnesses in the community so that hospitals can continue to provide priority access for people who need acute care.

“For people living in the Greater Southern area that means funding for more beds, more doctors and nurses and expanded community health services,” Ms Meagher said.

Major health service enhancements for the Greater Southern Area Health Service include:

• 3 new acute care beds at Wagga Wagga, supported by extra Nurses at Temora, Cootamundra, Narrandera and Leeton
• $2.8 million for an additional 23 community-based care places as part of a statewide program to support people in their home and avoid the need for hospital admission
• Six new Clinical Nurse Educator positions to increase nursing workforce skills and enhance patient safety
• Three additional Midwives in 2008-09, as part of a statewide investment for expanded maternity services to care for mothers and babies, with an emphasis on co-locating intensive and neonatal intensive care services.

Ms Meagher said Greater Southern Area Health Service will invest $1.24 million to recruit additional senior nursing and allied health staff to treat patients in local hospitals closer to home.

"Many patients from Temora, Cootamundra, Narrandera and Leeton require the sort of intensive treatment provided at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital,” Ms Meagher said.

“But it’s important that we’re able to transfer these patients back to hospitals closer to their home and their family support as they recover and no longer need intensive treatment.”

This $1.24 million investment will allow the health service to recruit an additional two physiotherapists and an occupational therapist at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital to assist with early patient care as well as an outreach team of two physiotherapists, an occupational therapist and 6.5 full-time equivalent nursing positions to provide support at Temora, Cootamundra, Narrandera and Leeton hospitals.

The 2008-09 Health Budget delivers $17.1 million in capital works funding for the Greater Southern Area Health Service as part of the Iemma Government’s ongoing investment in public hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Key capital projects include:

• $2.8 million to complete the $51 million Queanbeyan Hospital redevelopment
• $7.7 million to progress planning for the Bega Valley Health Service and Wagga Wagga Base Hospital redevelopment.

Residents of the Greater Southern area will also benefit from a $32 million statewide investment in new hospital equipment, including $1.8 million locally for important hospital equipment such as blood pressure machines, ECG machines and lifting equipment.

“The Iemma Government is boosting health funding right across the Greater Southern area to ensure local communities have access to high-quality health services closer to home,” Ms Meagher said.

Ms Meagher said health spending for the coming year continues the Iemma Government’s focus on health promotion, disease prevention and early intervention.

“The Rudd Government has delivered an additional $167 million for NSW in 2008-09 to meet the rising demand on the public health system,” Ms Meagher said.

“After years of neglect from the previous Commonwealth Government, this additional funding will allow us to develop new strategies to better manage chronic disease.

“These new strategies will include consolidating referral and access points to community-based services for people with chronic illness, streamlining processes of assessment and care, and promoting chronic disease prevention.”

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au