Life Saving Equipment For Victorian Hospitals

VIC Premier

The Andrews Labor Government is ensuring our public hospitals have the latest life-saving medical equipment and vital engineering infrastructure they need to continue providing world-class healthcare for all Victorians.

Minister for Health Martin Foley today announced 33 health services will share $85 million in funding to ensure public hospitals across the state can continue doing what they do best – saving lives.

This includes 21 metropolitan and regional health services, sharing in $35 million from the latest funding round of the Medical Equipment Replacement Program.

The Medical Equipment Replacement Program provides funding for replacement of prioritised capital medical equipment that is used for acute services in public hospitals across Victoria.

The cutting-edge equipment being funded includes CT scanners, digital X-Ray units, ultrasounds, operating room microscopes, and heart imaging equipment such as transesophageal echocardiogram units.

The medical equipment supports operating suites, emergency departments, surgical wards, intensive care units, neonatal and maternity services and specialist areas.

This includes a new multi-million-dollar PET/CT scanner at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Parkville – one of the first scanners of its kind in Australia with a digital detector. The new machine will allow scans to be performed faster and with less administered radioactivity which is good news for both patients and Molecular Imaging staff.

The scanner will also play an important part in the research and development of a new radiopharmaceuticals program in partnership with the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre and industry.

In addition, twenty-five metropolitan and regional health services are sharing in the $50 million Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program to upgrade and replace important engineering infrastructure including generators, chillers, emergency lighting, nurse call systems and patient lifts.

The Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program provides funding for replacement of prioritised capital plant items and essential engineering infrastructure for acute services in public hospitals.

For more information about the programs visit: vhba.vic.gov.au

As stated by Minister for Health Martin Foley

“We’re investing in health services across the state, helping them deliver the high-quality care Victorians deserve and ensure hospitals can continue doing what they do best – saving lives.”

“Every Victorian deserves access to high quality, safe care when they need it – we’re supporting health services to do just that.”

“We’re making sure our busiest hospitals have the vital infrastructure and equipment they need – because Victorians should be able to access quality healthcare, no matter where they live.”

/Public Release. View in full here.