SWAN Hill District Health (SHDH) has received $100,000 from the Victorian Government to respond to growing demand by increasing staff accommodation.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas and Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp last week announced that 128 projects would share in more than $70 million through the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF).
The $100,000 in vestment will fund construction of three accommodation units on land owned by SHDH.
The accommodation will be for junior medical staff on three-month rotations, senior medical specialist providing critical medical services, permanent medical staff requiring traditional accommodation; and accommodation for medical students on rotation from Melbourne and Monash universities.
SHDH will also receive $141,494 to replace inpatient vital signs monitoring equipment.
Chief executive officer Peter Abraham said the funding “will provide SHDH and the community with the latest technology and ensure a standardised system for clinical monitoring is available across all our clinical services for the future”.
“The awarding of funding towards our urgent need to develop more accommodation places for health professions and health care students in some way responds to the challenges we face on a day-to-day basis to provide suitable temporary and short- term housing as a real attraction for our recruitment and retention of an already scarce health care workforce.”
Mr Gepp said this was about ensuring the community continues to receive modern and effective care.
“Through the RHIF, we’re supporting health services like Swan Hill District Health deliver tailored solutions to build capability – addressing accommodation shortages which will benefit the entire community,” he said.
