The Victorian Government has revealed plans to build a new purpose-built public aged care facility at public health centre NCN Health Numurkah, 196km north of Melbourne
Victorian Minister for Health Infrastructure Mary-Anne Thomas visited the site earlier this month to meet with staff and residents and discuss the plans, Australian Seniors News has reported.
Mary-Anne Thomas MP
The May Victorian state budget included $162 million for public sector residential aged care facilities at local hospitals in the regional towns of Cohuna, Maffra, and Numurkah.
A total of $54.3 million was earmarked for a 36-bed facility at Numurkah Hospital campus.
The Victorian Government will also spend $38.2 million to build a 24-bed co-located facility at Cohuna District Hospital, and $69.7 million for a 30-bed facility at Maffra District Hospital campus.
With the funding accounting for a cost of more than $1 million per bed – an estimated average cost per bed is about $325,000 per bed – we asked the Victorian Health Department why the cost of the buildings is so high.
A Victorian Government spokesperson told The SOURCE, “These new modern facilities in Cohuna, Maffra and Numurkah have been designed to provide the highest quality aged care that is tailored to residents’ needs.
"This investment is about delivering high quality, tailored and innovative facilities that are designed to feel like a home and will last well into the future."
The new facilities will be designed to support more acute and complex residents and will feature designs based on the smaller household model of care, the Department said.
They will include features that support ageing in place, such as overhead lifting tracks in all bedrooms and ensuites.
There will also be provisions in the funding for allied health, access to outdoor areas, sensory gardens, senior’s exercise parks, and children’s play areas for intergenerational interactions.
The costs will also be impacted by design and sustainability requirements, local procurement policies, plus facilities that allow for higher staff numbers for public sector ratios, according to the Department.
The SOURCE: The features of the aged care buildings described by the Victorian Government are fairly standard – more than $1 million per aged care bed still seems expensive. Could the private sector build the homes more economically?
