The Morrison Government will provide $81.5 million to support Western Australians with cancer, mental health issues and chronic heart failure
These new initiatives will improve the lives of Western Australians in need, providing much needed support and hope.
Our strong economic management means we can provide record investment in these initiatives, Medicare, public hospitals and medicines, delivering more doctors, more nurses and more services to West Australians.
$44 million for West Australian cancer strategies
$25.1 million is being invested to help implement a cancer care strategy across rural WA.
This includes $9 million for new radiation oncology treatment services at Geraldton, WA.
The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Cancer Strategy will be the first WA-wide coordinated approach to providing specialist cancer services in rural communities.
It is aimed at overcoming the inequity of access for country cancer patients in WA, increasing survival and improving the quality of life for country people diagnosed with cancer.
In addition, $19 million will be allocated for state wide genomic testing that will take the treatment of WA cancer patients to a new level.
This testing will benefit all WA patients diagnosed with cancer by using the patients DNA to personalise their cancer treatment plan.
It will enable earlier, more informed clinical decision-making, aligning patients with the best treatment for their disease from the start.
This funding is in addition to the Liberal National Governments $50 million investment in the Australian Genomics Cancer Medicine Program and the landmark $500 million Medical Research Future Fund Genomics Health Futures Mission.
$33.5 million for better mental health in Western Australia
The Morrison Government will invest $33.5 million in three new initiatives to support the mental health of Western Australians.
North Perth will be the location of a $14 million walk-in adult community mental health centre funded through the Morrison Government’s record-breaking $736 million mental health Budget measure.
This new centre, will provide much needed mental health support services particularly in times of crisis.
People will be able to walk in without a prior appointment and have access to treatment, advice, and support provided by a range of mental health professionals at any time of the day or night.
This is part of a $114.5 million trial of eight walk-in community centres around the country.
The Morrison Government is also providing an investment of $4.8 million to establish a new behavioural assessment unit at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Wanneroo to provide better support for people frequently presenting to the hospital’s emergency department with mental illness and drug and alcohol issues.
The funding will also support new comprehensive primary care hubs across existing general practices in the Wanneroo area.
Young West Australians with mental health issues will also get improved care and support in a new, dedicated 10-bed forensic mental health ward, through an investment of $14.8 million from the Morrison Government.
This new service will address a critical gap in mental health services in Western Australia – the need to ensure children and young people who are in trouble with the law and referred through the court system can get the mental health support they need.
The Liberal National Government was the first to designate mental health as one of the four key pillars of the health care system and is prioritising better mental health for all Australians by investing a record $4.8 billion in mental health this financial year alone and an expected $5.3 billion next year.
$3.8 million for new support for chronic heart failure patients
West Australians living with chronic heart failure will get improved support under a Morrison Government-funded trial of a new multidisciplinary care approach to this chronic disease.
The Morrison Government is providing $3.8 million to develop and implement models of multidisciplinary care for patients in two WA locations – one metropolitan, one country.
All of these initiatives are part of our plan to strengthen Australia’s world class health system.
We can deliver this record investment in health without raising taxes for hard-working West Australians.
