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VICTORIA – Health authority budget allocations over the next three years will reach the highest levels ever, climbing to $9 billion in 2010/11, announced Health Minister George Abbott.
Budget 2008 provides an additional $4.9 billion in new spending on health care across the province from 2008/09 to 2010/11, including $2 billion in additional funding for health authorities – an increase of 19 per cent.
“Our government is committed to providing the very best health-care system for every British Columbian, devoting two-thirds of all new spending in this budget to health care,” said Abbott. “But we know money alone will not help us meet all the challenges ahead. That is why the Province is focusing on innovation, to ensure we are making the very best use of every taxpayer dollar.”
The $2 billion in funding lifts for health authorities will give British Columbians access to more surgeries, diagnostic procedures and seniors’ care beds, expanded mental health and addictions services and new health-care facilities in regions across the province.
Government has provided multi-year budgets to
allow more effective planning. Today,
health authorities received funding allocations for 2008/09 and planning
allocations for 2009/10 and 2010/11, as follows:
|
Health authority |
|
2008/09 |
2009/10 |
2010/11 |
% increase |
|
|
|
$
millions |
|
|
|
|
Fraser Health |
|
$1,944.81 |
$2,040.94 |
$2,207.63 |
24.2% |
|
Interior Health |
|
$1,182.08 |
$1,238.56 |
$1,338.59 |
18.8% |
|
Northern Health |
|
$433.11 |
$460.71 |
$488.19 |
17.6% |
|
Vancouver Island Health |
$1,283.41 |
$1,372.26 |
$1,444.33 |
18.0% |
|
|
Vancouver Coastal Health |
$2,013.90 |
$2,097.54 |
$2,194.51 |
13.6% |
|
|
Provincial Health Services |
$1,171.61 |
$1,264.08 |
$1,329.02 |
22.8% |
|
Under Budget 2008, a new three-year, $300-million
Transformation Fund was established to help drive change in technology, procurement,
information and service delivery systems. A two-year, $75-million
Innovation and Integration Fund will also be available to introduce patient-focused funding models.
“The $100-million Health Innovation Fund, one-time funding allocated in
last year’s provincial budget, has resulted in many successes across the health
system,” said Abbott. “These two new funds in Budget 2008 will build on that
innovation, further improving care and ensuring the sustainability of public
health care for our children and grandchildren.”
Health authority funding covers the delivery
of services including acute care, residential care, home and community care,
mental health and addictions and public health. Allocations are determined
considering factors such as demographics, patient flow, complexity of cases,
remoteness and key government priorities.
These figures do not include capital funding,
which will total $2.7 billion for health projects between 2008/09 and 2010/11,
or funding for items such as laboratory fees and fees for physician services
which are paid directly under the Medical Services Plan.
Total provincial health spending, including
the Ministry of Health, health authorities, and health services by other
ministries, totals $14.8 billion in 2008/09. This will increase to $16.5
billion in 2010/11.
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contact: |
Communications Director Ministry of Health 250 920-8500 (cell) 250 952-1889 (media line) |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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