BEECHWORTH Health Service and Rutherglens Indigo North Health Service will share in almost $1 million in state government funding to improve aged care facilities across northern Victoria. BHS will receive $414,300 to renovate 12 shared bathrooms to create 24 individual bathroom suites at its Beechworth aged care wing. This will give 52 of 60 residents private bathrooms. At Rutherglen, Indigo North Health has won $14,300 to fund training for aged care nurses and new specialist equipment. The federal government last week also announced funding some new and expanded Home and Community Care services. BHS will receive $20,663 and Indigo Shire $17,140 from HACC grants in this latest round. Indi Liberal candidate Sophie Mirabella said that the funds were part of an additional $21.3 million in HACC money for Victoria. The HACC program provides support to more than 300,000 older Victoria, younger peop le with disabilities and their carers, Mrs Mirabella said. The HACC funding was announced in Victoria by Social Services Assistant Minister Mitch Fifeld. Cathy McGowan (MHR, Indi) did not make any statement about the federal money allocated for services in Indi the seat she won from Mrs Mirabella, then a Liberal frontbencher, in 2013. The Advertiser tried to contact Ms McGowan for comment. Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) said that funding for residential aged care and training would enable vital refurbishments so public sector aged care facilities can meet modern, contemporary standards and provide better and safer living conditions for residents. Victoria has 182 public residential aged care facilities providing about 5800 places for older people. About 86 per cent of these facilities are 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.