Budget 2011 - Standing Strong for Improved Services and Access to Health Care
Budget 2011 illustrates the Provincial Government’s unwavering commitment to improved health care throughout Newfoundland and Labrador with a record investment of $2.9 billion. Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador provides for enhanced access to programs and services across the health care system.
“Our government recognizes that individuals want to access health care programs and services as close to home as possible and we continue to invest strategically to help ensure this is in fact the case,” said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services. “Reducing wait times throughout the province is a priority for our government. Investments in Budget 2011 further this commitment, with particular focus in areas such as reducing wait times and improving access to programming, long-term care and community support services, infrastructure, and wellness services.”
Enhanced Access and Reduction in Wait Times
Through an overall investment of $2.7 million in Budget 2011, the Provincial
Government will enhance access and expand services to support those with
autism. This investment includes funding of $2.2 million for the initial
expansion of the Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) program. The expansion
will take place over a two-year period, with funding of $2.9 million to be
invested in 2012-13. Currently children complete the program in Kindergarten
and now, as a result of the investment in Budget 2011, they will have access
up to entry in Grade 4, beginning with Grades 1 and 2 in 2011-12 and Grade 3
in 2012-13.
This funding also includes:
“I am pleased with the progress that has been made thus far to reduce wait times throughout our health care system,” said Minister Kennedy. “The funding we are providing to support individuals with autism and their families will further reduce wait times in the area of diagnosis and treatment which will significantly enhance the means by which children with autism can access programming. Through this investment in Budget 2011 we are not only enhancing access for individuals with autism, but for other children who require speech language and occupational therapy programming.”
Other Budget 2011 investments to reduce wait times and enhance access include:
Budget 2011 also provides $3.1 million for dialysis enhancements in Burin, St. John’s, Stephenville, St. Anthony and Labrador City, as well as the establishment of satellite dialysis in Harbour Breton which was announced on April 13.
Enhancements to Long-Term Care and Community Support Services
As Newfoundland and Labrador continues to prosper, the Provincial
Government remains ever mindful of the province’s seniors and the importance
of access to long-term care and community support services.
Budget 2011 provides an investment of $2.6 million to increase the current home support hourly subsidy rate by 25 cents. This will raise the current rate from a differential of $1.75 to $2.00 above minimum wage. The same incentive is being provided under home support programs within the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, specifically for respite and behavioural aide service workers. This represents an investment of $600,000 in Budget 2011.
Other investments include:
Improved Access to Health Care Professionals
Budget 2011 provides significant investments to further recruit and
retain health care professionals throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
“We currently have the highest number of physicians as well as the most nurses working in this province in our history,” said Minister Kennedy. “We are continuing to invest to ensure we will keep that level of quality health care professionals in our province.”
Investments include:
Strengthening Health Care Infrastructure
Health care infrastructure throughout Newfoundland and Labrador
continues to be a priority for the Provincial Government with a total
investment of $272.2 million in Budget 2011, which includes $200.6 million
for new and continuing construction and redevelopment.
New infrastructure projects are:
Continued infrastructure projects include:
In addition, the Provincial Government is committing a further $17.8 million over the life of the plan to expand the PET/CT cyclotron project. This funding will see the consolidation of nuclear medicine services at one site and infrastructure for future expansion of the cancer care program, which will increase the total project cost to approximately $29.8 million.
Budget 2011 also includes an overall investment of $50 million for new equipment and $21.6 million for repairs and renovations.
Enhancing Health and Wellness Priorities
Promoting health and well-being remains a priority for the Provincial
Government. Budget 2011 provides key investments to enhance the health
and wellness of residents, including:
“Our government has proven its vision and commitment when it comes to advancing the health care system throughout the province time and time again,” said Minister Kennedy. “Budget 2011 provides unprecedented investments that allow us to focus on key areas which will further enhance our health care services for future generations of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.”
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Media contact:
Jennifer Tulk
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 699-6524
JenniferTulk@gov.nl.ca
2011 04 19 2:30 p.m.