Cobram District Health will share in almost $1 million in funding to improve facilities and quality of care for elderly residents in northern Victoria. The organisation received $38 978 to strengthen operations and training for aged care nurses and new specialist equipment. 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. These state-owned facilities play a vital role in delivering aged care for vulnerable Victorians, she 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 Nathalia District Hospital and Numurkah District Health Service also received $14 300 each to provide training for aged care nurses and new specialist equipment. Ms Symes said the government was committed to supporting people to access local quality aged care homes and services in country and rural Victoria and investing in the future of public aged care facilities. 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, pressurerelieving 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.