The Allan Labor Government is delivering an important upgrade to Grampians Health’s Ballarat Base Hospital, investing in new high-tech health equipment to ensure locals can continue to receive the best care, closer to home.

Minister for Health Infrastructure Mary-Anne Thomas today visited the health service to announce the upcoming arrival of seven replacement anaesthesia machines and associated patient monitoring devices – made possible by a grant of more than $916,000 from the eighth round of the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF).

Six of the new state-of-the-art machines will be located in the operating theatre suites at Ballarat Base Hospital and the other in the catheter laboratory.

An important addition to the hospital’s capabilities, the new equipment is safer and more efficient and will reduce the risk of procedures being cancelled, while also driving down maintenance and repair costs for Grampians Health.

With rising demand for health services in Ballarat and the wider region, fewer cancelled procedures will mean fewer locals will spend less time on waiting lists – while the new equipment will help ensure they don’t have to travel far from home to access the medical care they need.

Across Victoria, the latest round of RHIF grants is supporting rural and regional hospitals, community health services and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations to ensure they can continue to provide safe and efficient care to local communities.

With 45 projects across 39 rural and regional health services, the program is ensuring communities continue to have access to high-quality care, no matter where they live – with the delivery of these projects also supporting hundreds of jobs across the state.

Established by the Labor Government in 2016 and overseen by the Victorian Health Building Authority, the RHIF program is now worth $790 million with more than 675 projects funded for regional health services – the largest investment ever dedicated grants program in Victoria’s history.

This builds on other recent RHIF investments in the Ballarat Base Hospital, including a $5 million upgrade and refurbishment of the hospital’s emergency area and the delivery of a new $6.2 million diagnostics department.

Quote attributable to Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas

“We know how important it is for regional hospitals to be equipped with safer, more efficient technology – it’s why we’ve funded this upgrade to support the hardworking staff who already deliver world-class care to Ballarat locals.”

Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“This state-of-the-art equipment is going to help ensure our community can continue to access timely care and treatment without having to travel far away from home – importantly keeping patients closer to their support networks.”

Quote attributable to Member for Eureka Michaela Settle

“Modern and more efficient equipment is going to make it quicker and easier for locals to access the care they need, while also saving them from having to travel to larger metropolitan hospitals for treatment.”