Intensive care gets ‘biggest expansion in history’ with $1.3bn funding

The Victorian government has announced $1.3 billion to fund the “biggest expansion” of the state’s intensive care capacity in history, adding 4000 beds to the existing 500. “Essentially, what this package will pay for is firstly some capital funding there to create new spaces for intensive care beds at the Alfred, at Monash and at Austin Hospital,” Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos. “In addition to that, the vast bulk of this funding is actually for the consumables and the equipment and the personal protective equipment that will be needed as we go forward. “So $1.2 billion of this $1.3 billion package is to actually upgrade existing acute beds and to effectively turn them into intensive care beds.” Via news.com.au — Australia’s #1 news site https://www.news.com.au