Financial outlook
The department’s total funding as per the State Budget 2023–24 are provided in the table below. Detailed descriptions of objectives and outputs, together with key performance indicators, are presented in the State Budget 2023–24 Budget Papers.
2023–24 budget ($million) | |
Victorians are the healthiest people in the world | |
Admitted Services | 14 438.8 |
Non‑Admitted Services | 2 223.0 |
Emergency Services | 965.7 |
Health Workforce Training and Development | 440.3 |
Residential Aged Care | 454.3 |
Aged Care Assessment | 60.4 |
Aged Support Services | 67.7 |
Home and Community Care Program for Younger People | 192.9 |
Ambulance Emergency Services | 1 263.9 |
Ambulance Non‑Emergency Services | 183.7 |
Drug Prevention and Control | 41.3 |
Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation | 331.1 |
Mental Health Clinical Care | 2 736.2 |
Mental Health Community Support Services | 188.4 |
Community Health Care | 315.4 |
Dental Services | 250.7 |
Maternal and Child Health and Early Parenting Services | 179.7 |
Medical Research | 62.8 |
Health Protection | 289.9 |
Health Advancement | 109.3 |
Emergency Management | 15.5 |
Small Rural Services – Acute Health | 442.5 |
Small Rural Services – Aged Care | 256.4 |
Small Rural Services – Home and Community Care Services | 11.7 |
Small Rural Services – Primary Health | 25.1 |
Output costs subtotal excluding COVID‑19 expenditure | 25 546.7 |
COVID‑19 costs | 266.9 |
Total (c) | 25 813.6 |
The following table contains all of the new output initiatives in the State Budget 2023–24
Output initiatives – Department of Health ($ million)
Admitted Services | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Giving women’s health the focus and funding it deserves (a) | .. | 23.8 | 36.7 | 43.9 | 49.5 |
Maintaining a PPE supply and stockpile | .. | 45.3 | .. | .. | .. |
Meeting the needs of Victorian public hospital services (a) | 10.3 | 560.7 | 574.8 | 589.2 | 603.9 |
More support for our nurses and midwives | 6.8 | 8.3 | 31.2 | 40.4 | 67.5 |
Pathways to home (a) | .. | 9.1 | .. | .. | .. |
Public fertility services care for more Victorian families (a) | .. | 4.5 | 22.7 | 22.7 | .. |
Rare diseases and cancer: highly specialised therapies (a) | .. | 24.9 | 25.5 | 26.1 | 26.8 |
Safer digital healthcare program 2023‑24 | .. | 19.3 | .. | .. | .. |
Ambulance Emergency Services | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Supporting the next generation of paramedics | .. | 2.4 | 8.0 | 15.8 | 16.5 |
System‑wide improvements to support timely emergency care | .. | 117.4 | 44.3 | 21.6 | 18.2 |
Community Health Care | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Backing pharmacists to boost our health system | 1.0 | 18.9 | .. | .. | .. |
Doing what matters for local communities – community health | .. | 0.2 | .. | .. | .. |
Prevention and early intervention of chronic and preventable health conditions | .. | 41.9 | .. | .. | .. |
Supporting Community Sector Jobs | .. | 6.0 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 6.7 |
Supporting local communities and high‑quality care for Victorians | 0.1 | 0.2 | .. | .. | .. |
Supporting our GPs | .. | 16.0 | 16.0 | .. | .. |
Targeted health support for children in care | .. | 4.6 | 8.7 | 11.0 | 13.5 |
Dental Services | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Smile Squad for low‑fee Catholic and Independent schools (b) | .. | .. | .. | 5.6 | 11.3 |
Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Alcohol and other drug treatment, support and harm reduction services (c) | .. | 51.2 | 51.4 | 28.4 | 29.1 |
Health‑based response to public intoxication | .. | 25.4 | 26.9 | 26.5 | .. |
Supporting workers through alcohol and other drug issues | .. | 2.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | .. |
Health Protection | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Mpox vaccination program | 19.8 | .. | .. | .. | .. |
Public Health Victoria | .. | 73.9 | 51.3 | .. | .. |
Victoria’s pandemic program | .. | 44.0 | .. | .. | .. |
Health Workforce Training and Development | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Maximising our health workforce | .. | 15.3 | .. | .. | .. |
Maternal and Child Health and Early Parenting Services | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
More support for mums, dads and babies | .. | 15.5 | 15.6 | 18.5 | 21.6 |
Medical Research | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Research boost to fight childhood cancer (d) | .. | .. | 7.2 | 6.8 | 7.1 |
Mental Health Clinical Care | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
High-quality and therapeutic bed‑based services (a) | .. | 45.2 | 49.0 | 30.8 | 31.6 |
Implementing the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act | .. | 23.6 | 18.4 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
Improving access and equity of service delivery | .. | 28.0 | 13.0 | .. | .. |
Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals | .. | 22.5 | 25.5 | 21.0 | 21.5 |
Mental health support for emergency service workers | .. | 2.9 | .. | .. | .. |
Priority suicide prevention and response efforts (e) | .. | 7.5 | 5.0 | 5.2 | .. |
Strengthening and supporting the mental health and wellbeing workforce (a) | .. | 4.1 | 4.2 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
Mental Health Community Support Services | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Mental health crisis and emergency responses | .. | 5.8 | 2.0 | .. | .. |
Specialist forensic mental health services | .. | 13.5 | 20.6 | 22.6 | 24.6 |
Non‑Admitted Services | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Community Hospitals commissioning(a) | .. | 4.7 | 9.7 | 9.8 | 10.0 |
Residential Aged Care | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Better services for older people in aged care settings | .. | 34.3 | 3.9 | 4.0 | .. |
Total output initiatives(f) | 2022‑23 | 2023‑24 | 2024‑25 | 2025‑26 | 2026‑27 |
Total | 38.0 | 1 322.8 | 1 083.0 | 965.9 | 964.2 |
Workforce outlook
The department recognises the critical importance of its workforce in delivering this plan. As part of supporting the effectiveness and efficiency of our workforce, the department is developing a three-year People Strategy. The strategy focuses on building the capability and capacity, creating a great employee experience and ensuring a continued focus on and accountability for culture, development and inclusion priorities.
The strategy focuses on employing and retaining great people, providing an inclusive and constructive workplace culture, health, safety and wellbeing, engaging and enabling our workforce, and growing and developing our people. Examples of key initiatives within the strategy include recruitment reform, finalisation of our talent and succession cycle, an upgraded leadership development pathway, culture roadmap implementation activities, including leadership culture training and improved job design strategies that protect against psychological harm.
We also know that to allow our workforce to achieve their best, support for diversity, inclusion and cultural safety are essential. The People Strategy is therefore underpinned by complementary initiatives such as our Aboriginal Workforce Strategy, ‘Getting to Work’ Disability Employment implementation plan, Gender Equality Action Plan, LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Strategy, Health Safety and Wellbeing Framework and Victorian Public Sector Commission employment guidelines.
Asset outlook
The department has an asset total estimated investment (TEI) of $14.5 billion in planning and delivery as detailed in Budget Paper 4.
New projects
Project name | Total estimated investment | Estimated completion date |
A new ambulance station for Armstrong Creek (Armstrong Creek) | 30,400 | qtr 2 2026‑27 |
Better aged care services for regional Victorians (regional various) | 162,246 | qtr 1 2028‑29 |
Health‑based response to public intoxication (statewide) | 4,246 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Hospital Infrastructure Delivery Fund (statewide) | 320,000 | qtr 2 2026‑27 |
Improving access to emergency care (statewide) | 6,449 | qtr 4 2022‑23 |
Mental Health Capital Renewal Fund (statewide) | 10,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Metropolitan Health Infrastructure Fund 2023–24 (metropolitan various) | 40,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
More PET scanners for Victorian hospitals (statewide) | 44,000 | qtr 4 2025‑26 |
More support for mums, dads and babies (statewide) | 15,000 | qtr 4 2025‑26 |
Redevelopment of Royal Melbourne Hospital and Royal Women’s Hospital (Arden/Parkville) | 2,338,000 | qtr 4 2031‑32 |
Redevelopment of Thomas Embling Hospital – Stage 3 (Fairfield) | 53,196 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Safer digital healthcare program 2023–24 (statewide) | 15,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Supporting the next generation of paramedics (statewide) | 3,200 | qtr 4 2025‑26 |
Total new projects | 3,041,737 |
Existing projects
Project name | Total estimated investment | Estimated completion date |
A Pathway to more acute mental health beds: Responding to the interim report of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (statewide) | 492,200 | qtr 3 2024‑25 |
A proudly multicultural Victoria (statewide) | 21,750 | qtr 2 2024‑25 |
Additional acute mental health beds in regional Victoria (various) | 195,834 | qtr 4 2028‑29 |
Additional acute mental health beds in Warrnambool (Warrnambool) | 10,872 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Alcohol and other drugs residential rehabilitation treatment expansion (St Albans) | 10,296 | qtr 3 2023‑24 |
Backing our paramedics to keep saving lives (statewide) | 54,900 | qtr 2 2023‑24 |
Ballarat Health Services expansion and redevelopment and the new Central Energy Plant (Ballarat) | 595,788 | qtr 2 2028‑29 |
Barwon Women’s and Children’s Hospital (Geelong) | 500,000–525,000 | qtr 2 2029‑30 |
Building a better hospital for Melbourne’s inner west (Footscray) | 1,998,605 | qtr 1 2025‑26 |
Building a bigger and better Latrobe Regional Hospital (Traralgon) | 223,500 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Building a new rehabilitation centre for Bendigo (Bendigo) | 59,500 | qtr 2 2024‑25 |
Building a world class hospital for Frankston families (Frankston) | 1,118,084 | qtr 3 2025‑26 |
Building a world class hospital in Maryborough (Maryborough) | 115,000 | qtr 2 2024‑25 |
Building emergency departments kids and families can count on (statewide) | 63,517 | qtr 1 2024‑25 |
Contemporary information architecture for mental health and wellbeing (statewide) | 60,761 | qtr 4 2025‑26 |
COVID catch‑up plan (statewide) | 199,676 | qtr 4 2028‑29 |
Early Parenting Centre – Shepparton (Shepparton) | 25,000 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Emergency Departments Expansion Program – Casey Hospital and Werribee Mercy Hospital (Casey) (Werribee) | 236,400 | qtr 4 2026‑27 |
Engineering infrastructure and medical equipment replacement program 2019–20 (statewide) | 60,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Engineering infrastructure and medical equipment replacement program 2020–21 (statewide) | 85,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Engineering infrastructure and medical equipment replacement program 2021–22 (statewide) | 85,000 | qtr 2 2024‑25 |
Engineering infrastructure replacement program 2022–23 (statewide) | 20,000 | qtr 1 2024‑25 |
Equitable cancer care and prevention (statewide) | 13,712 | qtr 4 2025‑26 |
Expanding mental health treatment facilities for Victoria’s youth (statewide) | 141,000 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Forensic Mental Health Expansion Project Stage 1 and 2 (Fairfield) | 462,457 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Goulburn Valley Health redevelopment – planning and development (Shepparton) | 229,349 | qtr 2 2023‑24 |
Guaranteeing Future Energy Supply (statewide) | 80,000 | qtr 4 2025‑26 |
Improving Energy Efficiency in Public Hospitals (Melbourne) | 40,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Improving safety in mental health intensive care areas (various) | 61,138 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Medical equipment replacement program 2022–23 (statewide) | 35,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Meeting ambulance response times (statewide) | 169,356 | qtr 2 2023‑24 |
Mental health and alcohol and drug facilities renewal 2020–21 (statewide) | 20,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Mental health and alcohol and other drugs facility renewal fund 2022–23 (statewide) | 10,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Mental health and alcohol and other drugs residential rehabilitation facility – Mildura (Mildura) | 36,000 | qtr 4 2025‑26 |
Metropolitan Health Infrastructure Fund (metropolitan various) | 187,000 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Metropolitan Health Infrastructure Fund 2022–23 (metropolitan various) | 25,000 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Modernisation of metropolitan Melbourne Public Sector Residential Aged Care Services Strategy: Stage 3 Kingston Project (Cheltenham) | 134,630 | qtr 4 2025‑26 |
More help for Victorian mums and dads (statewide) | 123,000 | qtr 2 2023‑24 |
More hospital and aged care beds for Melbourne’s East (Angliss Hospital Expansion Stage 2) (Upper Ferntree Gully) | 112,000 | qtr 4 2026‑27 |
New Melton Hospital (Cobblebank) | 900,000– | qtr 4 2028‑29 |
Providing additional bed capacity through modular facilities (metropolitan various) | 54,900 | qtr 1 2023‑24 |
Publicly led fertility care services for Victoria (statewide) | 20,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Reforming clinical mental health services (Melbourne) | 34,741 | qtr 4 2022‑23 |
Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (regional various) | 250,000 | qtr 1 2024‑25 |
Regional Health Infrastructure Fund 2019–20 (regional various) | 100,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Regional Health Infrastructure Fund 2020–21 (regional various) | 120,000 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Regional Health Infrastructure Fund 2021–22 (regional various) | 20,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Regional Health Infrastructure Fund 2022–23 (regional various) | 300,000 | qtr 4 2025‑26 |
Royal Children’s Hospital expansion (Parkville) | 31,400 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Rural and Regional PSRACS Revitalisation Strategy Stage 1 (regional various) | 65,000 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Rural and Regional PSRACS Revitalisation Strategy Stage 1 2022–23 (regional various) | 142,845 | qtr 4 2027‑28 |
Rural residential aged care facilities renewal 2019–20 (regional various) | 10,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Rural residential aged care facilities renewal 2020–21 (regional various) | 10,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Swan Hill District Hospital emergency department upgrade (Swan Hill) | 65,700 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Ten new community hospitals to give patients the best care (statewide) | 675,000 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
The Alfred Hospital urgent infrastructure (Prahran) | 69,500 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
The New Footscray Hospital – planning and critical infrastructure (Footscray) | 15,000 | qtr 4 2024‑25 |
Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing (metropolitan) | 5,000 | qtr 4 2023‑24 |
Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment (incl Warrnambool Logistics Hub) (Warrnambool) | 384,200 | qtr 4 2026‑27 |
Youth Prevention and Recovery Care Service (metropolitan) | 12,900 | qtr 2 2023‑24 |
Total existing projects | 11,450,011 | |
Total Health projects | 14,491,748 |
Source: Department of Health
Note: (a) Totals include expenditure for projects with a range or ‘tbc’ TEIs and cash flows.
Approved use of accumulated State Administration Unit (SAU)
The Resource Management Framework (3.5.2) sets out the order of funding for approved asset investments. The department follows this order and if required, funds will be drawn down from accumulated SAU funding, after seeking approval from the Treasurer as required under S33 of the Financial Management Act 1994. Any funds accessed from accumulated depreciation funding will be reported each year in the Annual Financial Report.
Reviewed 29 November 2023