Kerang District Health Chief Executive Officer Kellie Byron-Gray along with Board Chair Andrew Jeffreys, are thrilled to announce the successful outcome to the 2023/24 Regional Health Infrastructure Funding (RHIF) round along with 2022-23 Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program (EIRP) funding. Congratulations to the KDH team and our external project partners who have been working on this over the past two years.
Funding to the value of $3,000,000.00 has been approved for Stream One – Construction, to renovate and upgrade the existing Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) at Kerang District Health. Ms Byron-Gray said, although the Theatre complex looks quite modern, hospitals need to ensure compliance with the Australian Standard AS 4187: Reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices in Health Services Organisations, along with compliance against criteria under the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.
The building works will also provide for expansion of the existing PACU (Post Anaesthesia Care Unit) area along with an upgrade of sterilisation and theatre equipment. The project includes a full replacement of the Reverse Osmosis Water filtration system, Ms Byron-Gray said.
The Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF) provides vital government funding to rural and regional health services and agencies across Victoria and, ensures these services can continue to provide safe and efficient care to local communities. KDH are only one of 46 health services across regional Victoria who were successful with projects in the 2023/24 RHIF round.
The second successful grant was to the value of $500,000 through the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program (EIRP) for the installation of a water storage tank and pipework. EIRP funding is available to upgrade or replace prioritised highest critical risk capital plant items and essential infrastructure for acute services in public hospitals. This funding is crucial to KDH ensuring a water contingency plan in the case of a mains water outage.
Ms Byron-Gray acknowledged the excellent collaboration with the Victorian Health Building Authority and appreciated the support of both the VHBA and the Victorian Government for the ongoing provision of funding to ensure upgraded patient equipment and infrastructure supports safe and quality care closer to home.
