03 June 2008

Health funding boost for Western Sydney

NSW Minister for Health Reba Meagher said people living in Western Sydney will benefit from today's $13.15 billion budget investment to upgrade public hospitals, update equipment and enhance the public health workforce.

"The Iemma Government's boost to health funding in Western Sydney delivers on our State Plan priority to improve access to high quality health care across the state," Ms Meagher said.

"This year's budget includes a significant injection of funds for the building and redevelopment of hospitals and health care facilities in Western Sydney, ensuring that we deliver on our promise to provide quality health care facilities and services for the area's growing population."

Major health spending across Western Sydney in 2008-09 includes:

• $106.2 million to continue the major redevelopment of Liverpool Hospital
• $50.6 million to progress the construction of a new hospital on the existing Auburn Hospital site
• $5.6 million for the Nepean Hospital to continue refurbishment of wards in the North Block and provide a new building for Aged Care Rehabilitation
• $2.5 million to continue planning for the Nepean Hospital Stage 3 development
• An additional intensive care bed at Westmead Hospital
• An additional intensive care bed at Nepean Hospital
• An additional neo-natal intensive care bed at Nepean Hospital
• 15 new acute care beds at Campbelltown and Nepean hospitals, ensuring greater access to hospital care for local residents
• 26 new beds to establish or progress Medical Assessment Units at the Children's Hospital at Westmead and Blacktown, Liverpool and Fairfield hospitals
• $5.1 million for an additional 42 community based places across Sydney South West Area Health Service (SSWAHS) and Sydney West Area Health Service (SWAHS) as part of the Government's efforts to support people to stay in their homes and avoid admission to hospital
• $2.7 million for the Bankstown Hospital Pathways Home program
• $1.5 million for a CT Scanner at Bankstown Hospital
• $1.8 million to redevelop the Liverpool Ambulance Station
• $1.8 million to upgrade the Auburn Ambulance Station
• $1.9 million for equipment upgrades at Westmead Hospital and The Children's Hospital at Westmead
• Eight Clinical Nurse Educator positions provided across SSWAHS and SWAHS to increase nursing workforce skills and enhance patient safety
• 16 additional Midwives and two Obstetricians in response to an increase in births in the area of around 20 per cent since 2003-04
• $212,000 for a new full-time Nephrologist at Blacktown Hospital
• Introduction of 10-hour night shifts for nurses at Mount Druitt and Blacktown hospitals.

"This investment in upgraded health facilities, new hospital beds and health equipment and better services for older patients and those managing chronic illnesses will provide better access to local health services for people living in Sydney's West," Ms Meagher said.

Funding for health services in the region for 2008-09 includes:

• $1.88 billion for Sydney South West Area Health Service - an increase of $78.7 million on last year
• $1.34 billion for Sydney West Area Health Service - an increase of $51.3 million
• $218.9 million for The Children's Hospital at Westmead - an increase of $9.6 million.

People living in Western Sydney will also benefit from a share of statewide funding for intensive care services, radiotherapy, cardiac services, bone marrow transplants, spinal cord injuries and burns units.

This funding will also provide:

• $250,000 to expand genetics services at Westmead Hospital
• $315,000 for The Children's Hospital at Westmead to support children with chronic and rare conditions in the transition from paediatric to adult services.

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."

Ms Meagher said around $10 million would be provided to hospitals across Western Sydney to purchase specialist medical equipment such as blood pressure machines, ECG machines and operating theatre equipment.

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