2021-22 Budget delivers $1.6 billion infrastructure boost

Upgrading, building and improving existing hospitals and health services

This year’s State Budget provides more than $800 million for health infrastructure projects in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, including:

• $555.6 million (total project investment of $675 million) to deliver the Community Hospitals Program
• $99.7 million (total project investment of $102.4 million) to deliver new emergency department paediatric zones at Northern Hospital, Frankston Hospital, Casey Hospital, Maroondah Hospital and University Hospital Geelong. With an additional $5.7 million for capital planning for adult emergency departments at Maroondah, Casey, Northern, Werribee Mercy and Austin Hospitals.
• $98.9 million (total project investment of $103.4 million) to expand the Angliss Hospital
• $94.8 million (total project investment of $100 million) to redevelop and expand Maryborough Hospital
• $9.42 million to expand and upgrade Westside Lodge in Sunshine

Over $100 million in grants for hospitals and health services

$105 million is also being invested in grants to assist hospitals and health services replace critical infrastructure, purchase new equipment and undertake vital upgrades, including:

• $20 million boost to the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund 
• $35 million boost to the Medical Equipment Replacement Program 
• $50 million boost to the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement program 

More than half a billion for mental healthcare

This year’s Budget is investing upwards of half a billion dollars to provide greater access to community and hospital-based mental health treatment and support, including:

• $349.6 million to deliver an additional 82 secure mental health beds and supporting infrastructure at Thomas Embling Hospital
• $141 million to deliver five new 10-bed youth prevention and recovery care facilities in north east Melbourne, Barwon, Gippsland, Grampians and Hume. The investment will also refurbish three existing youth prevention and recovery care facilities in Frankston, Dandenong and Bendigo
• $20 million for an infrastructure blueprint for redesigning and expanding Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system
• $10.87 million to deliver an additional five acute mental health beds at Warrnambool Hospital

Modernising public sector residential aged care

Budget funding also includes $65 million to modernise and upgrade public residential aged care services, providing older and vulnerable Victorians the care they deserve, including:

• $57.11 million to redevelop the Glenview nursing home in Rutherglen
• $4.95 million to design and plan a 36-bed facility within Camperdown Hospital.
• $2.93 million to design and plan a 24-bed facility in Cohuna.