Hospital funding boosted

18 Jul 2018 Wangaratta Chronicle, Wangaratta VIC (General News) State increases Northeast Health Wangarattas share by $9.5 million NORTHEAST Health Wangaratta (NHW) will share in record funding as part of a massive boost to health care by the State Government. Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) announced yesterday the government was investing $108.19 million in NHW, a $9.56 million or 9.7 per cent increase on the previous year. The funding for NHW has increased by $30.06 million, or 38.5 per cent, since 2014/15, the last year the former Liberal Nationals Government was in power. According to Ms Symes, it means hospitals are set to share in 10 per cent more funding than the previous 12 months and 31 per cent more than when the Liberals and Nationals were in government. The Andrews Labor Government is giving our hospitals the funding they need to treat more patients sooner, and closer to home, Ms Symes said. Were delivering record funding to ensure that Wangaratta and our other hospitals can treat more patients faster. Our Wangaratta doctors, nurses, allied and other healthcare workers dedicate themselves each day to care for us when we need it. Were helping them by opening more beds to reduce patient waiting times for surgery and emergency care. The record funding boost will ensure our hospitals can provide the very best treatment and care to the 1.9 million patients expected to be admitted to hospital and the 1.8 million Victorians who will access emergency departments in the coming 12 months. In total, the Labor Government is investing $19.4 billion in Victorias health system, including ambulance services, mental health and drug and alcohol services, aged care, community health and other services.