Benalla Health will receive $14 300 for training for aged care nurses and new specialist equipment as part of the latest round of Victorian Government grants. Public sector residential aged care services in northern Victoria will receive a total of $987 400 in government funding to improve facilities and quality of care for elderly residents. Benalla Health chief executive Andrew Freeman welcomed the funding. With the funding received we will work with the staff from the Morrie Evans Wing to ascertain what their highest priorities are, Mr Freeman said State Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said health services across Victoria would 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. To help provide the highest quality care, $970 000 will be delivered to buy specialised medical equipment such as electronic beds, pressure-relieving mattresses, electronic shower chairs, mobility aids, lifting equipment, and diagnostic and treatment equipment. A $301 000 funding boost will see more than 250 nurses working in rural public aged care facilities receive training in the comprehensive health assessment of older people, while another $639 400 is earmarked to strengthen business operations ensuring services are sustainable into the future. Victoria has 182 public residential aged care facilities across Victoria providing about 5800 places, about 86 per cent of them in country and regional towns.