Health minister explains $1.5 billion injection in funding for the state’s health system

Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas has explained the decision to inject an extra $1.5 billion into the state’s health system.

The state government announced the extra funding last night, but rejected the idea of amalgamating hospitals, instead grouping public hospitals into 11 distinct regions with six regions in Melbourne and five regional networks.

“Of course we have to deliver the funding that our hospitals need, we will not compromise on care and on our health system,” Ms Thomas told Jacqui Felgate.

Press PLAY to hear the full interview

The 3AW Drive host labelled the extra funding as a “backflip” from the state government and asked the health minister several times where the extra money has come from.

“We’ve always backed in our hospitals and our healthcare workers,” Ms Thomas said later in the interview.

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