Keneally promises billions for hospital & healthcare upgrades

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMar 9 2011

Hospital upgrades with more beds and an expansion of the nursing and medical workforce may be a reality in the near future thanks to the Keneally government’s $2.3 billion pitch. Premier Kristina Keneally pledged the total spending package of $4bn would deliver “improvements right across the health system” and give patients the care they needed, promptly. She spoke at the launch at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney’s west saying, “This is about strengthening our health system to deal with challenges of an ageing population, growing levels of chronic disease and rising health costs.”

The Coalition attacked the promises. Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner said there was “nothing new” in the measures, which were “more of the same announcements and trickery” from the 16-year-old government. “At the last election Labor promised it would redevelop hospitals at Tamworth, Dubbo, Parkes, Forbes, Bega, Wagga Wagga and the northern beaches...Labor failed to deliver any of the redevelopments, not one,” she added. The Opposition has released its own plan for $3bn in infrastructure spending, but is yet to reveal what it will commit to extra beds and nurses.

The NSW branch of the Australian Medical Association also criticized the plan which said the policy “does not adequately address any of the criteria”. The AMA had set out in a statement of its 10 policy priorities. NSW President Dr Michael Steiner says the policy fails to address any of the priorities raised in the AMA’s own policy document, including a long-term solution for overcrowded hospitals. “This would be achieved only by moving towards 85 per cent bed occupancy rates at 5pm every day in every hospital across NSW,” Dr Steiner said. “NSW Labor has made no mention of this in their policy.”

Ms Keneally said Labor would employ 2200 more nurses, expand cancer clinics and upgrade emergency departments in at least half a dozen hospitals. Ms Keneally confirmed the money would come from state coffers, not from funding secured under the national health agreement at the February meeting of the Council of Australian Governments. About $600 million will be committed to the capital works program, with the remaining $1.7bn in recurrent funding. She added that facilities at Westmead, Wyong, Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Armidale and Kurri Kurri hospitals would be upgraded in addition to planned major works at Blacktown, Mt Druitt and Campbelltown hospitals, as well as the $1bn makeover of Royal North Shore. Apart from this there is a promised $15m for 45 additional paramedics, $42m towards the state’s ambulance fleet, $11m for 160 new interns and another $11m for specialist medical training.

Ms Keneally said, “What we will be doing is submitting our costings to the independent parliamentary budget office.”