Funds for health training, equipment HEATHCOTE Health has been approved to receive a $14,300 grant from the State Government to help fund further training and purchase of equipment. Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes announced last week the government was releasing a total of $987,400 to northern and central Victorian public sector aged care facilities to help improve those facilities and the quality of care for residents. Ms Symes said health services across Victoria will share in close to $6 million of new grants to help public aged-care facilities deliver the best possible care, now and into the future. More than $4 million of the statewide funding boost will go to vital refurbishments so public sector aged care facilities can meet modern, contemporary standards and provide better and safer living conditions for residents. Heathcote Health acting chief executive officer Colin Wellard said Heathcote Health was delighted with the funding announcement. Heathcote Health prides itself in having a well-trained workforce to deliver excellent care to all of the patients, residents and clients, he said. The funding provided will allow some nurses to attend training to undertake a comprehensive health assessment. This will allow our nursing staff to be able to carry out a higher level of assessment of older people both before they move into residential aged care as well as during their stay. This higher level of assessment will increase even further our nurses ability to work with health providers, residents and their families regarding the residents health, which will have a direct, positive impact upon their health and wellbeing. The funds will also be used to purchase specialised equipment such as electronic beds, pressure-relieving mattresses and lifting equipment, all of which is focused toward ensuring Heathcote Health continues to have the specialised equipment it needs to deliver its specialised residential aged care service, Mr Wellard said. Victoria has 182 public residential aged care facilities across Victoria providing about 5800 places, with about 86 per cent of them in country and regional towns. These state-owned facilities play a vital role in delivering aged care for vulnerable Victorians, Ms Symes said. In small country communities, public providers can be the sole local provider of aged care, and are also central to the local economy and local jobs. The government is committed to supporting people to access local quality aged care homes and services in country and rural Victoria and are now investing in the future of public aged care facilities.