Hospital care in Ballarat is set to receive a state funding increase up more than 10 per cent than last year.
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Wendouree MP Sharon Knight and Buninyong MP Geoff Howard will announce a $297.85 million boost for Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital on Wednesday.
This will be $27.62 million more than the hospital shared in last year to increase services and capacity. The recurring funding allocation is separate to the near $500 million hospital windfall for redevelopment announced as part of this year’s state budget.
It comes amid a record $11.5 billion state government investment in Victorian hospitals this financial year – up an average 10 per cent across the state.
Ms Knight and Mr Howard said the funding helped ensure the Base could treat more patients faster and closer to home.
“Our doctors, nurses, allied and other healthcare workers dedicate themselves each day to care for us when we need it,” Ms Knight said.
“We’re helping them by opening more beds to reduce patient waiting times for surgery and emergency care.”
Meanwhile, redevelopment works for the Base Hospital are touted to take almost a decade to complete.
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In unveiling the budget splash, the state government expected the upgrades would provide the capacity for 18,000 more emergency patients to be seen at the Base each year, which is the equivalent of 49 more patients a day.
An extra 14,500 inpatients would also be able to be treated at the hospital.
BHS has been working on a master plan for building and infrastructure to guide the hospital for the next 30 years.
A new children’s ward at the Base opened last month. The $3.5 million redevelopment was largely funded by Run Ballarat.
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