The Canberra Liberals have pledged to increase overnight bed numbers in the new University of Canberra public hospital to 200, and will call on the Labor Party to do the same.
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Liberal Leader Jeremy Hanson will call a debate on the new public hospital in the Assembly on Wednesday, accusing the government of breaking its promise to build a 200-bed hospital. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has also questioned bed numbers.
Mr Hanson pointed to Hansard quotes from former Health Minister Katy Gallagher and Labor backbencher Mary Porter, referring to "200 beds", and to a statement from Little Company of Mary Healthcare chairman John Watkins referring to the government's commitment to "a new 200 bed sub-acute hospital". He referred also to a description on an ACT Government website, which says, "The new University of Canberra Public Hospital will provide up to 200 beds for sub-acute services in a purpose built, contemporary facility."
The ACT Health website, though, now refers to day spaces. Mr Corbell's spokesman said a day space was a treatment space, not necessarily a bed. Mr Hanson said the term "day space" was ill-defined.
The sub-acute hospital, to be built on the corner of Aikman Drive and Ginninderra Drive, won't do surgery or emergency treatment, but will specialise in rehabilitation, aged care and mental health.
Mr Hanson warned the government was in danger of making the same mistake it made with the jail, which he said was claimed to have capacity for 25 years when it was built but which had been largely at capacity since it opened. There are now plans for overflow facilities for extra prisoners.
A LIberal government would deliver 200 beds at the new hospital but it would be more cost effective and less complex to include the full number up front rather than retrofit, he said.
He also called on the government to release the cost of the project, saying that a report in 2012 had put the cost at between $282 million and $342 million.
Mr Corbell will only say it will cost more than