Steve Bracks: Victoria’s health system is world class thanks to big Labor investments

Victoria’s health system is world class thanks to Labor governments building and renovating hospitals and backing our health workers.

Labor governments have made significant investments in our health system. Picture: David Caird

Victoria’s health system is world class.

The government has redeveloped and built new hospitals across the state, including Australia’s first dedicated cardiac hospital, the Victorian Heart Hospital, Bendigo Health, Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and Latrobe Regional Health.

While construction is underway on many more, including the new Footscray Hospital, Frankston Hospital, Warrnambool Base Hospital, Ballarat Base Hospital, and Barwon Women’s and Children’s.

They’ve made significant investments to deliver more urgent care options – including the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department, 29 Urgent Care Clinics, Nurse on Call and Community Pharmacy Pilot.

They’ve invested more than $2 billion into our ambulance services – recruiting more than 2,200 additional paramedics, delivering 41 new or upgraded ambulance stations, establishing an Australian-first Paramedic Practitioner Master’s Degree and Centre for Paramedicine.

The health services workforce has grown by almost 50 per cent since 2014 – with an additional 40,365 nurses, midwives, doctors, allied health professionals and other hospital staff.

They also announced a massive 28 per cent pay rise to Victoria’s nurses and midwives.

Steve Bracks is a former Labor premier of Victoria