PATIENT safety was a priority when it came to dividing up almost $2 million in funding between North East health services yesterday.
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Benalla and Wangaratta hospitals along with Euroa and Gateway Health were four of 37 services to receive a share of the $20 million fourth round of grants from the Napthine government’s Rural Capital Support Fund.
Minister for Health David Davis made the announcements alongside Benalla MP Bill Sykes at Benalla Hospital.
“At Benalla, $350,000 will be used to upgrade safety and security systems which will enable the hospital to upgrade and link patient alarms and nurse duress calls through one modem system,” Mr Davis said.
“And $270,000 for the two additional ensuites in the nursing home known as the Morrie Evans Wing is an important announcement that has provided a significant uplift for that service.”
Board chairman at Benalla Health Brendan Smith said the $620,000 worth of improvements to Benalla Hospital would help about 250 staff members and it was expected to be progressively installed over the next six months.
“It really just brings our health service into the modern age of using technology in a smart way so that we can make sure that the wheels turn and everything runs smoothly,” he said.
“It is nowhere near as much as what the needs are because there is a lot of competition for that funding, but today’s block of announcements for Benalla Health is a great outcome for us.”
Wangaratta will receive $1.01 million to improve patient care including an $880,000 new patient transport lift and $131,000 for a new food delivery system using heated and cooled trolleys to deliver food.
Gateway Health nabbed $200,000 in funding, with a new mobile tablet system for the Wangaratta campus priced at $90,600 while $108,000 will go to the Wodonga building for improved staff and patient facilities, solar panels and a new air conditioning system.
Euroa Health will receive $20,000 for upgrades to security and information technology.