Released 02/06/2017
The ACT Government is delivering on its election commitment to start working on the expansion of the Hospital in the Home program and invest in the nursing workforce in the 17-18 Budget.
Minister for Health Meegan Fitzharris said the budget would fund the planning work needed to expand the Hospital in the Home service to increase its capacity to care for people in their own homes and in community health centres.
She also announced a significant investment in more nurses, including recruiting more graduate nurses, filling new specialist nursing positions and offering new training opportunities to current nurses.
“Our 10-Year Health Plan is about keeping Canberrans healthy and well, with initiatives that provide better primary and community health services and keep people out of hospital,” Minister for Health Meegan Fitzharris said.
“The Hospital in the Home program provides ongoing care for patients that would otherwise be required to be in hospital, in the comfort of their homes. In addition to people’s homes an expanded program could also see Hospital in the Home care provided in local community health centres.”
“Expanding this program will not only ensure more Canberrans with complex health conditions are able to access home-based care, but also relieve pressure off our public hospitals.
“This Budget will kick off the expansion of the program with funding of $136,000 in 2017-18 to undertake the essential planning work to inform our commitment to significantly expand this program.”
The 2017 Budget is also supporting our nurses by investing in more training and education opportunities to have the right nurses in the right place and at the right level.
“There are more than 5700 registered nurses, enrolled nurses and registered midwives in the ACT, making up the largest section of the health workforce,” Minister Fitzharris said.
“Through the Budget we are investing $36 million over the next four years to support our nurses.
“This funding will provide better training and new opportunities for existing staff and invest in more nurse navigators to help patients better access health services.
“A number of nursing positions will come on line across Canberra over the next four years, including: 12 more graduate nurses each year taking the total employed each to more than 100; two maternal and child health nurses; 12 nurse navigator positions and six school nurses.
“Nurse navigators play an important role in connecting people with the right health services at the right time across our health system.
“This investment in more nurse navigators will not only help diversify our nursing workforce by offering new roles, but it also demonstrates our commitment to making it easier for patients to access health services.
“Another key element of this initiative is the funding that is being delivered for Nursing and Midwifery training and education scholarships.
“These scholarships will provide for additional education and training for already qualified nurses and will commence at the start of the 17-18 financial year.
“They demonstrate this government’s commitment to ensuring that our health workforce is well-supported so they can do what they do best, and that is caring for patients.”
This is a Parliamentary Agreement item.
- Statement ends -
Meegan Fitzharris, MLA | Media Releases
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