The Victorian Government announced $55 million for hospitals to upgrade medical and infrastructure equipment, with Goulburn Valley Health and NCN Health among the recipients.
The funding to 23 health services is delivered under two programs to replace medical and surgical equipment, and to upgrade vital engineering infrastructure.
GV Health was allocated $502,121, broken down into $312,958 for medical equipment and $189,163.18 for engineering/infrastructure equipment.
“GV Health appreciates this support from the Victorian Government, to enable us to purchase new engineering/infrastructure and medical equipment to help us better serve the health needs of the Goulburn Valley community,” GV Health executive director capital projects, infrastructure and support services Shane Tremellen said.
Previously GV Health has used this funding to buy new physiological monitors, patient beds, operating theatre equipment and clinical trolleys.
Meanwhile, NCN Health was allocated $550,000 under the engineering infrastructure replacement program.
NCN Health director of operations Justin Sullivan said the funding went towards replacing the air-conditioning system at the Nathalia campus and upgrading the air-conditioning and hot water service at the Cobram campus.
He said a computerised management system was also installed at Cobram to manage the upgraded air-conditioning and hot water service.
“These upgrades are essential in ensuring the health service can continue to run safely and efficiently, and can provide ongoing high-quality care and services to our communities,” Mr Sullivan said.
Acting Premier Jacinta Allan and acting Health Minister Lizzie Blandthorn announced the funding from Casey Hospital in Melbourne on Tuesday, January 17.
“We’re giving our hardworking doctors and nurses the equipment they need, so they can continue doing what they do best — saving lives,” Ms Allan said.
More than $35 million is being shared by 19 health services through the government’s medical equipment replacement program to upgrade to the latest diagnostic and imaging equipment.
The remaining $20 million is allocated across 18 health services through the engineering infrastructure replacement program, for upgrades to generators, air-conditioning, emergency lighting, nurse call systems and patient lifts.