Scott Morrison boosting health services with $1.26 billion

Scott Morrison will offer sick Aussies better access to doctors, nurses and breakthrough treatments under a $1.26 billion funding boost for medical services. The cash injection comes as the government desperately tries to neutralise Labor’s attacks over health funding.

• Medicare to cover eating disorders
• Sydney’s west to get $5.5m mental funding

Scott Morrison will offer sick Aussies better access to doctors, nurses and breakthrough treatments under a $1.26 billion funding boost for medical services.

The Prime Minister will today declare the cash injection is the “tangible benefit of strong economy” as the government desperately tries to neutralise Labor’s stinging attacks over health funding.

“We will deliver more doctors, more nurses and more health services into every state and territory,” Mr Morrison said.

“It’s why I am so committed to keeping our economy strong. A strong economy gives us the ability to continue our record investment in Medicare, hospitals, new medicines and new treatments.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has promised to deliver more doctors, nurses and health services into every state and territory. Picture: AAP Image/Courtney Hewett

MORE NEWS

Teachers Pet brother and lawyer threatened

Hero schoolboys receive Pride of Australia medal

Emma Husar ‘disappointed’ after Labor preselection

The announcement means the Coalition claims it will outspend Labor on hospitals to the tune of almost $500 million over the next four years.

To ensure patients see an immediate benefit, the Morrison government plans to release $250 million from the kitty this financial year.

State governments and local community groups will asked what new services will best address their needs and to put forward project proposals by February.

Mr Morrison expects the types of projects funded would include:

MORE mental health services to help treat people before they end up in an emergency department,

NEW drug rehabilitation services including residential facilities to help kick addictions,

REGIONAL cancer treatment services in areas where residents have to travel long distances, and

BETTER access to clinical trials and advances in medical research giving people access to breakthrough treatments.

A number of projects will receive funding. Picture: Supplied

The four-year funding pool comes on top of the existing hospital funding agreement which hands states 45 per cent of the cash needed to pay for day-to-day services.

Labor has fiercely pursued a “reverse the cuts” campaign with Bill Shorten taking every opportunity to accuse the government of slashing cash to hospitals.

Federal money handed to the states to run hospitals will more than double from $13.3 billion in Labor’s final year of government in 2012-13 to a record pledge of $28.7 billion in 2024-25.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Labour would create a “better hospitals fund”. Picture: Kym Smith

Labor bases its claim on a pledge made by Tony Abbott during the 2013 election campaign that the federal government would split hospital funding with the states, each contributing 50 per cent.

But in 2014, the Coalition reneged on this deal and ­following the 2016 election lowered its commitment to 45 per cent.

Mr Shorten announced in his reply to the Budget in May that Labor would create a “better hospitals fund” which invests an extra $764 million over four years.

The Opposition leader also promised another $2 billion injection in the three years up to 2024-25.