Record $30.2 Billion For Health Care in NSW

NSW Health received $ 30.2 billion in today’s budget, demonstrating the NSW government’s commitment to providing world-class health services to the community.

More than $ 3 billion will be invested in building and renovating hospitals and healthcare facilities across NSW this year. This is on top of the more than $ 27 billion in recurring funding.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the record investment shows the NSW government’s commitment to the health of its people.

“Since March 2011, recurring funding for NSW’s public health system has increased nearly $ 11.7 billion, compared to $ 15.5 billion in 2010-11. That is an extraordinary increase of more than 75 percent, ”said Perrottet.

“We continue to invest in patient-centered care with brand new and modernized facilities, the latest cutting-edge technology and an ever-growing health workforce.”

Health Secretary Brad Hazzard said the budget reflects the NSW government’s continued commitment to creating healthy communities by bringing world-class facilities closer to home.

“Well-designed hospitals and health care facilities lead to improved health outcomes and experiences for patients, their families and our dedicated health workers,” said Mr. Hazzard.

The main highlights of the budget include:

• $ 1.1 billion to continue state response to COVID-19, including:
  • $ 340.0 million to fund Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) procurement and associated inventory costs to keep our frontline workers safe;
  • $ 261.3 million for COVID-19 vaccine distribution
  • $ 200.0 million for pop-up clinics, testing, and contact tracking
  • $ 145.4 million for quarantined returning travelers in need of medical assistance;
  • $ 80 million to continue additional elective surgeries
  • $ 30.0 million for continually improving cleaning in healthcare facilities
  • This brings the health system’s overall commitment to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to more than $ 4 billion since March 2020.
• $ 159.3 million over the 2021-22 period to fund services in newly built hospitals scheduled to open in 2021-22.
• More than $ 214.3 million in funding for NSW Ambulance Services, including:
  • $ 126 million over four years to improve NSW Ambulance operations through a modern, integrated facility in Sydney Olympic Park;
  • $ 54.3 million in ongoing expenses over four years to enable NSW Ambulance to ensure an improved mix of aircraft, including jet aircraft, to improve patient safety and access to emergency care;
  • $ 34.0 million over four years to convert 246 paramedics to critical care medicine, 80 percent of whom will be based in regional New South Wales;
  • Upgrade of defibrillators in ambulance that will improve electronic medical record integration capabilities between NSW Ambulance and hospital emergency rooms across the state and particularly regional areas in 2021-22.
• $ 109.5 million over four years to develop 25 “precautionary” child and youth mental health teams across NSW to support children and adolescents with moderate to severe mental health problems and their families / carers;
• $ 82.8 million over four years to further strengthen specialist palliative and terminal care, including improving community care, improving hospital services, consumer support, the regional and rural workforce, and providing government-supported grants in palliative care ;
• $ 36.4 million over four years for 57 mental health and recovery specialists in regional and rural New South Wales to provide assertive support and coordination with local services to communities in the event of a disaster or crisis and during the ongoing recovery period;
• $ 21.6 million over four years to provide a Nationwide Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implementation Service (TAVI) for high-risk patients, including those in rural and remote areas of NSW;
• $ 12.2 million over two years to fund Tresillian for six regional family care centers and five Tresillian 2U vans and staff for the Macksville residential unit;
• $ 8.6 million over four years to support community care for people with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease by providing specialist nurses and related health workers in 15 local health districts. This package also includes funding from Parkinson NSW to support their InfoLine service as well as additional teaching, training and capacity expansions;
• $ 7.7 million over four years to explore a new model of care for children and adolescents with behavioral disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in two regional local health counts;
• $ 3.0 million to set up ACON’s LGBTQ + health center to improve access to primary and community-based health care.

NSW Health will invest $ 10.8 billion in capital infrastructure over the next four years, with a program of $ 3.2 billion over the 2021-22 period. This record investment will ensure that the 29 new and modernized hospitals and health facilities announced before the 2019 state elections will be operational before March 2023. The funding also includes:

• $ 327 million in new work starting 2021-22, including nine hospital upgrades or redevelopments, two major information communication technology projects, the establishment of a HealthOne in Canowindra, and a number of NSW Ambulance-related projects;
• Hospital upgrades and new developments, including:
  • $ 45 million for the refurbishment of Muswellbrook Hospital Level 3;
  • an additional $ 50 million for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network in Randwick
  • an additional $ 15 million for Goulburn Hospital and renovation work commenced at Ryde, Rouse Hill, Moree, Gunnedah and Wentworth Hospitals
  • This investment also includes funding in 2021-22 to advance $ 10 million in NSW Pediatric Heart Improvements across the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network.

Of this record investment, nearly $ 2.5 billion will be allocated across the state to continue Health’s record capital program, which includes 37 hospital upgrades or refurbishments (with four new hospitals) and eight regional and metropolitan parking lots currently under construction.

In addition, the 2021-22 budget includes $ 280.2 million for information and communications technology projects, $ 80 million for the equipment modernization and replacement program, and $ 109 million for work that Funded by local health districts and specialized health networks through the locally funded initiatives program.

Ongoing hospital upgrades and new developments include:

• Bankstown and Lidcombe Hospital ($ 1.3 billion);
• Nepean Hospital ($ 1.0 billion);
• John Hunter Hospital and Parking Lot ($ 835 million);
• Randwick Campus ($ 783 million);
• Royal Prince Alfred Hospital ($ 750 million);
• Liverpool Health and Academic Precinct, including parking lot ($ 790 million);
• The new Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services ($ 699 million);
• Tweed Hospital ($ 673 million);
• Campbelltown Hospital ($ 632 million);
• Westmead Level 2 Children’s Hospital ($ 619 million);
• Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick ($ 608 million);
• The new Maitland Hospital ($ 470 million);
• Shoalhaven Hospital ($ 438 million);
• Wagga Wagga Hospital ($ 431 million);
• St. George Hospital ($ 385 million);
• Concord Hospital ($ 341 million);
• Lismore Base Hospital ($ 313 million);
• Dubbo Health Service ($ 306 million); and
• Griffith Base Hospital ($ 250 million)

source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/record-30-2-billion-for-health-care-in-nsw/