Expanding the Canberra Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU), delivering a better Canberra Hospital Emergency Department (ED), and more emergency surgery capacity are among the ACT Government’s 2021–22 Budget measures for the public health system.
The physical expansion of the ICU is scheduled for later this year. The ACT Government says it will increase access to lifesaving care, acute medical treatment, and intensive care monitoring as the Canberra region’s population grows.
A further $28.4 million will be allocated to make four more beds available in the Intensive Care Unit by 2023-24, so more staff can care for the sickest patients. More beds will be opened should they be needed for COVID-19 patients.
A $22.9 million investment in the Emergency Department over the next four years will give Canberrans better access to care.
“The Emergency Department is the front door to Canberra Hospital, and the team do an incredible job supporting people from the ACT and surrounding region when they need urgent care,” said Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith.
“The initiatives funded through the Budget will drive improved performance, ensuring Canberrans continue to get access to the right care at the right time.”
The Emergency Medical Unit (EMU) will have 18 treatment spaces. A new Acute Medical Unit (AMU) will be set up, so patients with multiple medical issues can be admitted more quickly and efficiently from the Emergency Department, and a multi-disciplinary team can begin their care plans.
The Emergency Department will also hire a ‘medical navigator’, a highly skilled nurse who will work with the senior medical team to ensure patients are cared for in the right ED location and transferred to the right inpatient ward.
The ACT Government has also committed $39.0 million to deliver an additional 1,920 emergency surgery theatre hours per year and eight surgical beds to improve surgical outcomes for patients.
Over recent years, demand for emergency surgery has grown rapidly. The government believes increasing funded emergency surgery capacity will improve timely care for Canberrans who need emergency care and reduce the need to postpone elective surgery.
“The additional funding in this Budget will ensure we can meet that demand while also delivering life-changing elective surgery,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
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