Investing in regional hospitals and health care
The Government is investing $475 million through the Health and Hospitals Fund (HHF) as part of the $5 billion investment in health infrastructure to improve access to health care services across Australia.
Record investments in regional health
This is the second regional specific round of the HHF. It will deliver 76 major new regional health infrastructure projects across Australia.
Supporting regional hospitals and health care
The Government is providing $475 million through the HHF to: support the clinical training capacity of regional hospitals; upgrade regional health infrastructure; and expand regional hospitals.
This completes the $1.8 billion HHF Regional Priority Round announced in the 2011‑12 Budget, bringing the total number of regional projects to 139.
Investing in areas of national priority
Consistent with the Government's health reform priorities, the $475 million investment includes:
- $171.6 million for 14 acute care projects;
- $128.7 million for 27 primary health care projects; and
- $8.2 million for four dental health projects.
76 new regional projects
These projects include:
- $60.3 million ‑ Lismore Base Hospital redevelopment (NSW);
- $35.0 million ‑ Regional Queensland eHealth project; and
- $15.3 million ‑ Mildura Community Health Services redevelopment (Vic).
Building on past investment
We have delivered a record investment in health infrastructure ‑ $5 billion has been invested since 2009 from the HHF across 224 projects. This latest investment builds on:
- $1.3 billion in the 2011‑12 Budget under the first regional‑specific funding round; and
- $3.2 billion in the 2009‑10 Budget to upgrade hospital and health infrastructure, help deliver nationally consistent cancer services, and expand medical research and training infrastructure.
Regional health infrastructure projects across Australia ‑ Round 4