2022-23 State Budget delivers over $2.5 billion for health, mental health and aged care infrastructure

This year’s State Budget provides over $1.7 billion for health infrastructure projects in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, including:

• Over $900 million to construct the fully electric new Melton Hospital
• Over $500 million to deliver the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s Hospital
• $236 million for new emergency departments at Casey Hospital and Werribee Mercy Hospital
• $36 million for a Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug Residential Rehabilitation Facility in Mildura
• $25 million for an Early Parenting Centre in Shepparton.

$380 million in grants for hospitals and health services

$380 million is also being invested in grants to assist hospitals and health services replace critical infrastructure, purchase new equipment and undertake vital upgrades, including:

• $300 million boost to the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund
• $35 million boost to the Medical Equipment Replacement Program
• $20 million boost to the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program 
• $25 million boost to the Metropolitan Health Infrastructure Fund.

More than $400 million for mental healthcare

This year’s State Budget is investing upwards of $400 million to provide greater access to community and hospital-based mental health treatment and support, including:

• Over $160 million for acute and community mental health services at Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton
• Over $123 million for Stage 2 of the Thomas Embling Hospital redevelopment
• $61 million to perform upgrade works at mental health intensive care areas across the state
• $27 million for land acquisition for new acute mental health beds at the Ballarat Base Hospital
• $10 million for the Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Facility Renewal Fund
• $8 million for planning new acute mental health beds at Northeast Health in Wangaratta, Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton and Ballarat Base Hospital
• $6.5 million to plan new mental health and alcohol and other drugs emergency department hubs in Bendigo, Ballarat and Shepparton
• $5 million for planning the new Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Continuing to modernise and upgrade public sector residential aged care

State Budget funding also includes over $145 million to modernise and upgrade public residential aged care services, providing older and vulnerable Victorians the care they deserve, including:

• Over $142 million for three aged care redevelopments at Camperdown, Mansfield and Orbost
• $3 million for planning two new aged care facilities in Hume and Barwon South-West regions
• $800,000 to plan a new 60-bed Mornington Centre aged care facility.