Wednesday, 18 March 2020

Ministers statements: COVID-19

Mr FOLEY (Albert Park—Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Equality, Minister for Creative Industries) (11:13): I rise to provide a further update on the measures that the Premier and the Minister for Health in the other place have announced to make sure that our health system is able to sustain its response to the once-in-our-lifetime threats that the Treasurer has just referred to. On Sunday the Premier and the Minister for Health announced a $100 million package of new money as part of the next stage of our COVID-19 response. New hospital beds will be opened, and more than 7000 Victorians will be fast-tracked for elective surgery over the coming weeks.

When the COVID-19 pandemic reaches its peak, our hospitals are going to be facing unprecedented strain, and we are determined to get as many patients as possible in for elective surgery before that happens. That is why this more than $60 million will be made available to both public and private hospitals to undertake over 7000 elective surgeries. That will be before the predicted peak of the pandemic. This is a crucial injection of new funds that are needed now, given the unprecedented strain that our hospitals will face in coming months. The most urgent elective surgeries will be prioritised to treat as many patients as possible before that peak. While emergency surgeries will continue to be affected by the growing COVID-19 pandemic, it will force less urgent surgeries to be postponed.

The Premier and the Minister for Health also announced a further $30 million to commission the new Casey Hospital inpatient tower to boost the hospital’s capacity, an additional 128 inpatient beds and 12 ICU beds in time for the peak of the pandemic. This is a time for national leadership and national unity, which the Victorian community looks to this government and all honourable members to deliver in these unprecedented times.