A special allocation of $1.5 million is being made for spending on innovations which will improve the State's metropolitan health service.
Deputy Premier and Health Minister Ian Taylor said the money had been allocated under the Health Department's productivity improvement program to assist metropolitan health services to improve productivity, make better use of resources, accelerate and introduce methods of best practice in health care.
"The aim is to complement other measures taken to improve access to needed hospital care and reduce time people wait for elective surgery," Mr Taylor said.
"The metropolitan program comes on top of the $1 million productivity funding allocated to country health services earlier this month.
"The funding will go to government, non-government and private sector organisations within the metropolitan area on a competitive bidding basis.
"What we want is innovative projects that increase throughput, reduce bed days or improve productivity of hospitals," he said.
Examples of eligible initiatives included:
· introduction of improved medical technologies;
· introduction of improved clinical practice, such as minimally invasive techniques;
· post-operative domiciliary services for country people receiving services in the metropolitan area; and
· redesign of clinical management systems.
Projects were expected to include clinical input to ensure quality of care was maintained or enhanced.
Funding would be offered in two rounds with submissions for the first closing on January 8, 1993 and the second on February 12, 1993.
Application details were currently being advertised.
The special funding allocation was part of a broader $34 million health investment program allocated by the Government from the 1992-93 Budget and was part of the Government's program of creating the best public hospital service in the nation.
