National Health Reform Delivers for North West Tasmania
Patients in North West Tasmania will benefit from better access to emergency treatment, sub-acute hospital beds and cancer services as a result of the Australian Government’s national health reforms.
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Joint release
The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing
Sid Sidebottom MP
Member for Braddon
3 October 2011Patients in North West Tasmania will benefit from better access to emergency treatment, sub-acute hospital beds and cancer services as a result of the Gillard Government’s historic national health reforms.
The Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, and the Member for Braddon, Sid Sidebottom, visited the North West Regional Hospital (NWRH) in Burnie today announcing a $13.0 million investment that will provide 10 new sub-acute hospital beds and increased services.
“The new beds and services will deliver a better deal for patients right across North Western Tasmania,” Minister Roxon said.
“Health Reform will deliver a new Intensive Rehabilitation Unit with an additional 10 new beds for the NWRH and an expansion of the planned Discharge Ward and Short Stay Unit taking these bed numbers up to 12.
“The busy emergency department will also receive 10 new treatment cubicles, including paediatric specific cubicles that will improve patient flow for the more than 26,000 patients that present to the ED annually.
Member for Braddon Sid Sidebottom said that providing local communities like Burnie and surrounds with the resources they need for better subacute services, closer to home, is a key focus for national health reform.
“Health reform is providing the NWRH with the resources it needs so that it is sustainable into the future.
“These new investments showcase how health reform can provide new and better care for North West Tasmania,” Mr Sidebottom said.
The Gillard Government's health reforms will deliver over $2.3 billion of key hospital investments to Tasmania including for the North West of Tasmania:
- Over $20 million for cancer services in North West Tasmania including the Burnie Regional Cancer Centre
- $7.5 million for GP Super Clinics at Devonport and Burnie
- Over $4.4 million to the NWRH to establish geriatric evaluation and management services and purchase much needed medical equipment
- $9.9 million to expand patient transport services for Tasmanians who need to travel to access specialist diagnostic services including $3 million for patient residential units at the NWRH
- $3.7 million to the University of Tasmania Rural Clinical School in Burnie
- $197.6 million for the Mersey Community Hospital, plus $1.48 million for the University of Tasmania to redevelop the clinical teaching facility at the Hospital
- Over $7 million to provide a state-wide registered nurse and GP telephone after hours service as well as $600,000 in grants to local GP clinics in Wynyard and Somerset to upgrade their practices
- 3 specialist training places at the NWRH in anaesthetics and emergency medicine and 2 local GP Registrars including 1 at the NWRH
For further information contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220.
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