Minister delivers hospital revamp funds

The Federal Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, is in Tasmania to hand over the final Commonwealth payment to redevelop Royal Hobart Hospital.

The Government promised an additional $240 million for the hospital, bringing the Commonwealth contribution to $340 million.

Ms Roxon says the final payment delivered on a commitment to Tasmanian Independent Andrew Wilkie and will result in an extra 200 beds at the hospital.

“It means that the work that has already commenced on the women’s and children’s site can now be expanded into the larger redevelopment and I’m really pleased that the Premier will be announcing that as…she’ll be with me and Mr Wilkie will be with me as will a number of Tasmanian colleagues at the state level and the federal levels,” she said.

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• What Andrew Wilkie says:

The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement that the Health and Hospitals Fund has approved $240m for the Royal Hobart Hospital redevelopment.

“Today is a key milestone in turning around decades of shameful government neglect of the Royal Hobart Hospital and a step towards a healthier future for Southern Tasmania,’’ Mr Wilkie said.

“The $240m announced today is also personally satisfying for me as it combines with the $100m already in the bank and honours the Prime Minister’s agreement to provide $340m to rebuild the Royal.

“The funding announced today is part of the new $1.8b HHF round unlocked by the Independents during their negotiations with the Prime Minister after last year’s Federal Election.’’

The redevelopment will deliver almost 200 extra overnight beds, 12 new operating and procedure rooms and a women and children’s hospital, which will include an adolescent and mental health facility.

“The $565m RHH redevelopment will be the largest infrastructure and construction project in Tasmania’s recent history and is a massive shot in the arm for the electorate and the economy,’’ Mr Wilkie said.

“The redeveloped hospital will make a real difference to the lives of Southern Tasmanians, who won’t have to wait as long for surgery or spend as much time sitting in emergency departments.

“The State Government is now in a position to sign up the major contractor and start some serious work on the site.

“My job now is to help make sure the State Government delivers this redevelopment on time, a not insignificant challenge given the State Government only met its first project deadline by flying the paperwork to Canberra on the day it was due and missed its second deadline.

“Moreover the State Government needs to understand that health care needs more than buildings and that anticipated cuts to the Royal’s operating budget would make a mockery of the State’s commitment to public health care.’’

Mr Wilkie also took the opportunity today to publicly pressure the Federal Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, to rule out a speculated $400m budget cut to the National Health and Medical Research Council.

“Here we are standing across the road from the Menzies Research Institute, which does life-saving medical research and employs hundreds of researchers,’’ he said.

“Cutting funding for medical research is counter productive and would have a disproportionate impact on Denison.

“I have and will continue to speak strongly against such cuts.’’

Mr Wilkie also urged Minister Roxon to increase funding in the Budget for mental health in Tasmania and support services for prostate cancer.

THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP

The Gillard Government today announced a boost to health services in Tasmania by committing $240 million to a major upgrade of the Royal Hobart Hospital.

“This investment will mean more beds, more services and better facilities for the communities of Hobart and greater Tasmania—as part of this Government’s ongoing commitment to improving regional and rural health services,” Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said.

The Government committed to fund the Royal Hobart Hospital upgrade as part of the agreement with the Independent MPs. The commitment was subject to the application meeting the Health and Hospitals Fund’s criteria. The independent HHF Advisory Board has since advised the Government that the Hobart application meets the HHF criteria.

“This funding will provide the capacity for 195 new overnight beds—a one-third increase—and twelve new operating and procedure rooms,” Minister Roxon said.

“This brings the Gillard Government’s investment in the Royal to $340 million, after we committed $100 million in 2010 for the construction of a women’s and children’s precinct.

“Since 2007, the Gillard Government has now boosted funding to Tasmania’s health and hospital system by more than $1.3 billion, recognising our commitment to the Apple Isle,” Minister Roxon said.

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings welcomed the announcement and recognised the ongoing productive relationship between the Gillard and Giddings Governments.

“The State Government has committed $225 million to the Royal Hobart Hospital redevelopment, representing 40 per cent of the largest capital investment ever made in our health system,” Premier Giddings said.

“I am personally very proud that we are delivering on the commitment we made in 2009 to rebuild the hospital from the inside out, so that we can have a modern and efficient facility that responds to the health needs of Tasmanians now and into the future.

“This capital investment by the State and Federal Governments will also stimulate the construction industry and the wider economy, which is crucial in these tough financial times,” Premier Giddings said.

“And, thanks to national health reform, we can enter into this project knowing that a much greater contribution to the cost of managing the Royal Hobart will met by the Commonwealth in future years, helping to ensure our health system stays sustainable into the long term,” Premier Giddings said.

Ms Giddings said the State Government secured $100 million of Commonwealth funding when both parties signed the ‘Implementation Plan for Commonwealth Contribution to the construction of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Hobart’.

“The Women’s and Children’s Precinct is an important element of the redevelopment and will transform the Hospital’s capability to deliver best practice health services,” Premier Giddings said.

Minister Roxon said the overall result would be a modern healthcare facility with the capacity to meet the needs of the people of Hobart and the surrounding regions.

“This investment forms part of the Government’s commitment to deliver more services in rural and regional areas and give hospitals the resources they need for more beds and better care,” Minister Roxon said.

“The improvements we are announcing today will enable the hospital to provide high quality medical services to the people of the Hobart region into the future.”

Note: Funding for this project was provided for in MYEFO. The Government is currently assessing advice from the HHF Advisory Board on other applications. Other successful projects that are funded by the Government from the HHF regional priority round will be announced in the 2011-12 Budget.