The Government will deliver more paediatric health services in the community and in hospitals as part of our significant health investment in the 2024-25 Budget.
Eight inpatient paediatric beds at Canberra Hospital will be funded to ensure Canberra Health Services can continue to support unwell children and young people when they need specialist paediatric care.
Paediatric critical care at Canberra Hospital will be enhanced through the establishment of a new paediatric critical care team. The team will provide leadership and specialty skills in paediatric critical care to treat and care for children and young people. The team will also provide better coordination, support and upskilling of existing staff in this area.
Resourcing will be provided for the expansion of multidisciplinary rehabilitation services for children with complex and chronic conditions, where care is shared between local and interstate hospitals. This funding will develop a model of care to support children in a more sustainable and integrated way.
Establishing a new location for community-based paediatric services will mean children with, or at risk of, developmental delays or certain health conditions and their families can more easily access the services they need in the community rather than a hospital setting.
These investments will support implementation of actions in the Child and Adolescent Clinical Services Plan 2023-2030 and the opening of dedicated paediatric critical care spaces in the new Critical Services Building.
To support critically unwell newborns a further $18 million is being invested to fund additional cots in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Special Care Nursery at Canberra Hospital.
Overall, around $57.6 million in new funding is being invested to expand paediatric inpatient care and community-based paediatric services. This Budget builds on the range of investments made over this term of Government in paediatric services and the expansion of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children.
Quotes attributable to ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr:
“The total investment in health next year is $2.6 billion, growing from $2.3 billion in 2023-24. This is delivering more health services, infrastructure and support for the health workforce.
“The ACT Government is making record investments in public healthcare to ensure Canberrans can access the right care, when and where they need it.
“This budget commitment to expand paediatric health services builds on this Government’s previous investments in both inpatient and outpatient health services specifically for the youngest members of our community.
“This Government is committed to delivering health services for children, adolescents and their families where and when they need it.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith:
“The Child and Adolescent Clinical Services Plan sets out a vision that children have access to a high-quality health system that enables them to live their best and heathiest lives. These investments are another step to ensuring we fulfill this commitment.
“The ACT Government has been investing in a range of initiatives to expand paediatric services at Canberra Hospital and the paediatric medical, nursing and allied health workforce. This includes upskilling Emergency Department staff and launching the new Child and Adolescent Hospital in the Home Program.
“The investments in this Budget builds on this work as we continue to deliver quality services and treatment for Canberra’s children and young people.”
