Thousands more Victorians will now get access to our best clinicians, allied health professionals and nurses from the comfort of their own homes thanks to a massive funding boost in the Victorian Budget 2022/23.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Health Martin Foley today joined some of Victoria’s best nurses to announce a $698 million package to expand the Better at Home program.

We saw how much difference it made to thousands of Victorians who were able to get treatment and support at home during the pandemic – that’s why the program is going to become a permanent option for patients under the Andrews Labor Government.

The investment will expand the program to help more than 15,000 Victorians access home-based care each year, in addition to telehealth check-ups.

It allows Victorians to access experienced nurses, clinicians and allied health professionals at home, surrounded by their loved ones as part of a more convenient and tailored experience.

The package will extend the Hospital in the Home beds that were established throughout the pandemic, increasing capacity to 358 virtual beds – providing ongoing care at home for Victorians so they don’t need to go to hospital for treatment.

This investment is the equivalent of running a major hospital like Footscray Hospital and will enable health services to perform more elective surgeries and reduce how long patients stay in hospital.

A further $3.6 million will also be invested to continue the delivery of the Transitional Care Program – a program which helps patients with a disability safely transition out of a hospital bed and into community-based accommodation while they are awaiting their NDIS package to be approved.

Around $2.1 million will be invested in a pilot Aboriginal virtual specialist clinic, giving Aboriginal Victorians access to culturally appropriate health care and clinicians in rural and regional areas.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“Ensuring more Victorians can access Better at Home not only means better outcomes and more comfortable health care for Victorians but it’ll help take the pressure of our hardworking frontline nurses, paramedics and doctors.”

“I know from my own experience just how helpful getting care at home can be. It makes treatment and recovery so much easier when you’re able to get personalised care brought directly to you.”