No. 21

INVESTING IN THE HEALTH OF CANBERRANS FOR TODAY 
AND TOMORROW

The ACT Government will invest an extra $66.8 million in health care for Canberrans over four years as part of the 2007-2008 Budget, bringing total health expenditure for 2007‑08 to $801.8 million.

Minister for Health Katy Gallagher said this investment will further improve a wide range of health services including the provision of critical care and acute beds, more support for aged care health services, improved access to elective surgery, better management of chronic disease, increasing mental health treatment capacity, providing more dental care to needy Canberrans and improving service and support systems for vulnerable children in our community.

Ms Gallagher said the 2007–08 Budget clearly indicates the ACT Labor Government’s commitment to providing high quality, timely and accessible health care for all Canberrans.

Recurrent Budget health initiatives in the 2007-08 Budget include:
•	$12.6 million to provide 20 new acute care beds;
•	$12.6 million for mental health service enhancements;
•	$10.4 million for access to Aged Care and Rehabilitation Services;
•	$10.5 million for continued improved access to elective surgery;
•	$8.5 million for new intensive care/critical care services at The Canberra Hospital and Calvary;
•	$2.153 million for chronic disease management;
•	$2.1 million to increase cancer services;
•	$2.1 million over four years to establish a new service to support vulnerable children and their families in their first years of life;
•	$2.1 million over four years to enhance the ACT’s capacity to respond to communicable disease outbreaks and emerging communicable disease threats; and
•	$1.7 million for the Dental Health Program to enable an additional 415 clients from the restorative waiting list to access dental care.

In capital works, the Government has provided:
•	$29 million for a new carpark at The Canberra Hospital;
•	$2.290 million for forward design work for a 40 bed adult Mental Health acute inpatient unit;
•	$1.2 million for forward design work for a 15 bed secure Mental Health secure unit; and
•	$795,000 for forward design for neonatal intensive care services in the ACT.

The Government has also allocated $3.5 million over three years for the purchase of clinical equipment at Calvary Hospital. 

“Over the next year, the mental health and neonatal intensive care services redevelopment projects will enter the design phase, allowing work to progress on these important projects,” Ms. Gallagher said.