The Northern Territory Government has announced a $150 million investment in health and hospital health infrastructure. The package, announced in the lead up to the Territory’s 2011-12 budget, includes the construction of a new Palmerston hospital.

 

The purpose-built Palmerston hospital will include a 24-hour emergency centre, up to 60 in-patient beds and a number of specialist services.

 

The Federal Government will provide $70 million towards the $110 million Palmerston hospital project from its Health and Hospitals Fund (HHF) while the NT Government will provide the additional $40 million.

 

“At present, high demands on the Royal Darwin Hospital mean that many people wait longer than the recommended times for the Emergency Department and Elective Surgery,” Minister for Indigenous Health and Member for Lingiari Warren Snowdon. “This new hospital will ease that pressure, and provide easier access to more services.”

 

Minister Snowdon said the Government was also providing $13 million to redevelop and expand the Gove District Hospital emergency department, and $3.7 million for similar works at the Tennant Creek Hospital. A further $13.5 million would be provided to build culturally appropriate short stay accommodation at Katherine Hospital (24 beds) and Gove Hospital (12 beds).

 

$50.29 million will be provided to build seven new primary health care clinics – at Robinson River, Ngukurr, Canteen Creek, Numbulwar, Elliot, Galiwinku, Ntaria – and upgrade four existing health clinics at Titjikala, Papunya, Maningrida, and Docker River.

 

A total $95 million of infrastructure investments through the first round of the Health and Hospitals Fund have been announced, including projects for:

  • $34.2m to build a Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Health and Education
  • $27.8m for Flinders University to run a full medical program in the Northern Territory
  • $18.6m to build an accommodation complex of 50 units on the grounds of the Royal Darwin
  • $13.6m for a new Emergency Department on the grounds of Alice Springs Hospital and to relocate the Medical Imaging Department
  • $2.5m for digital mammography.