The Nationals in Government will invest $95 million to deliver Stage 2 of the Goulburn Valley Health Integrated Cancer Centre, giving patients across the region better access to comprehensive cancer treatment closer to home.
Goulburn Valley Health is the only one of Victoria’s six major regional public health services without a fully integrated cancer centre. Without further investment, cancer and wellbeing services will remain split across two locations at the hospital, while patients requiring radiotherapy will continue to travel offsite for treatment.
The Nationals in Government will deliver the full Integrated Cancer Centre, including:
- onsite radiotherapy;
- additional haematology and oncology treatment spaces;
- a dedicated wellness and support centre;
- specialist consulting rooms;
- research and teaching spaces
- a multidisciplinary planning and review space; and
- additional car parks.
The new centre will bring more cancer services together in one location, improve continuity of care and reduce the need for patients and their families to travel long distances for essential treatment.
Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson, said: “A cancer diagnosis is challenging enough without Goulburn Valley patients and their families having to travel long distances to access the care they need.
“Only The Nationals in Government will deliver the healthcare infrastructure regional Victorians deserve.”
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, said: “For too long, cancer patients across the Goulburn Valley have been forced to navigate fragmented services and travel elsewhere for life-saving treatment.
“This is about putting patients first and delivering better cancer care for regional Victorians.”
The Nationals’ candidate for Shepparton, Shane Sali, said: “The project would address a long-standing healthcare inequity and ensure local families could receive more treatment and support within their own community.
“GV Health remains the only major regional public health service in Victoria without a fully integrated cancer centre. For a region supporting more than 250,000 people, that simply isn’t good enough.
“We have fought for this project because our community deserves it, and The Nationals are committed to delivering it.”
