(Ivan Kemp) 295682_06
August 26, 2022
Big Book Week for Bianca Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College Year 9 student Bianca released her debut picture book this week. Inspired by her cousin Neddy, Bianca wrote Neddy’s Box of Noodles because he is “crazy about noodles”. ■ Story: Page 3
Cash injection for health By Justin Flynn Barwon Health will receive just under $3 million for upgrades to its emergency department from the state government’s $105 million injection into the Victorian public hospital sector. Premier Daniel Andrews and Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas this week announced 38 health services and public health laboratories will receive new equipment to treat patients and save lives. Barwon Health spokesperson Kate Bibby said the organisation will receive almost $2.9
million of funding for emergency department equipment, including ECG and ultrasound machines, gastroscope, and ward refits for a respiratory high dependency unit. “Barwon Health welcomes this investment from the state government, which will help improve overall care, as well as access and flow of patients through our emergency department,” she said. “As part of the Surgical Equipment Innovation Fund, funding was allocated for an angiographic suite at $1.5 million, while $367,000 of funding has been allocated for
surgical and ENT microscopes.” As part of the latest round of the Medical Equipment Replacement Program, hospitals will receive new equipment for acute services – including CT scanners, MRIs, X-ray units and digital retinal imaging capture systems as well as heart equipment such as echocardiogram and fluoroscopy units. In addition, as part of the latest round of the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program, hospitals will upgrade important infrastructure such as generators, chillers, emergency lighting, nurse call systems, air
conditioning systems and patient lifts. Surgery facilities will also be boosted through the $20 million Surgical Equipment Innovation Fund, which is investing in items such as endoscopes, ultrasound units, microscopes, monitors, operating tables, anaesthetic machines, lasers and sterilisers. The state government said the funding will also be a major boost for regional Victoria, with 21 regional health services upgrading and replacing 178 items of equipment in operating suites, surgical wards, intensive care units and neonatal areas.
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