03 June 2008

Health funding boost for the Illawarra

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

“The Iemma Government’s boost to health funding in the Illawarra delivers on our State Plan priority to improve access to quality health care across the state,” Ms Meagher said.

“People living in the Illawarra will benefit from $1.79 billion in funding for the South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service, which is an additional $76 million over last year.”

Major health spending in the Illawarra in 2008-09 includes:

• Four new beds at the Medical Assessment Unit at Wollongong Hospital
• One additional Intensive Care bed at Wollongong Hospital
• Six new acute care beds at Shellharbour Hospital
• $3.2 million for the establishment of child and adolescent mental health services at Shellharbour Hospital
• $1.8 million to complete a Psychiatric Emergency Care Centre at Wollongong Hospital
• $1 million to complete the non-acute mental health unit at Shellharbour Hospital
• $1 million for new operating theatre equipment at Wollongong Hospital
• $577,000 for the completion of the Illawarra Older Persons Mental Health Unit at Wollongong Hospital.

Illawarra residents will also benefit from investment in a range of health services across the South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service, including:

• $2 million for an additional 16 community based places across the Area Health Service to support people to stay in their homes
• 4 Clinical Nurse Educators to boost nursing skills and enhance patient safety
• One additional Midwife position and further obstetrics services 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
• $5.5 million to purchase specialist medical equipment such as blood pressure machines, ECG machines and operating theatre equipment.

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