A re-elected Andrews Labor Government will deliver new PET scanners for better patient care at eight hospitals across the state – ensuring Victorian patients have the care and compassion they deserve.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans are imaging tests used to find and monitor the spread of cancers, diagnose heart disease, brain disorders and other conditions.

Unlike some scans that only provide a picture of the body’s structure, a PET scan looks at cellular changes to see how the body is working. They can detect changes in organs and tissues earlier than traditional CT or MRI scans.

A re-elected Labor Government will invest $44 million to deliver eight new PET scanners for our state – at the Ballarat Base Hospital, Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton, Sunshine Hospital, the Northern in Epping, Werribee Mercy Hospital, Warrnambool Base Hospital, Frankston Hospital and Wangaratta Base Hospital.

PET scans are already available for patients at a number of major metropolitan and regional hospitals – now we’ll improve access for more Victorians.

The population is booming in Melbourne’s west and north, so we’ll deliver new PET scanners to meet demand, reduce out-of-pocket costs and limit travel time for diagnostic imaging in our growing suburbs.

The investment also means patients in regional Victoria won’t have to travel as far for advanced diagnostic imaging.

It adds to the more than $585 million we have invested in new medical and surgical equipment since 2014, to treat patients and save lives.

You can’t trust the Liberals to deliver the healthcare Victorians need. When they were in charge, they cut $1 billion from the health budget.

Since coming to government, Labor has invested more than $15 billion in health infrastructure – but delivering world-class healthcare is about more than bricks and mortar.

We’ve recruited more than 26,000 extra healthcare workers since 2014 – growing the public health workforce by 33 per cent, including an increase of nearly four per cent in just the past 12 months alone.

In the last term, we’ve grown the workforce by more than 18 per cent – around 16,500 workers. Labor is doing what matters – investing in the healthcare infrastructure and the workforce that Victorians need.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“Having access to a PET scanner close to home makes a massive difference to patients and their families. It means answers, and critically, earlier access to life-saving care.”

“Only Labor is doing what matters and delivering more diagnostic equipment for sick Victorians and recruiting and training more than 24,000 health workers.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas

“You can’t trust the Liberals with Victoria’s health system – they cut $1 billion from the health budget when they were last in charge and given the chance, Matthew Guy will do it again.”

“Only Labor is supporting health services with the investment they need to provide the best care for patients.”