And the government has committed almost $11 million to design a new public hospital at the University of Canberra and a forensic mental health unit in Symonston.

The budget delivers $1.3 billion for the ACT health system in the 2013-14 financial year, including funding for 131 new nurses, medical staff and allied health workers. Health was again the territory's biggest beneficiary of new spending measures, but the public service union warned this would come at the expense of workers and services in other ACT directorates.

The government will spend $72 million on new capital projects in health over four years, $38 million of which is promised in 2013-14.

There is $45.5 million for new hospital beds, including 16 new acute beds at the Canberra Hospital and 15 at Calvary Hospital, including a four-bed stroke unit.

The funding comes as the government tries to slash emergency department waiting times, which continued to worsen in the ACT last year. The government plans to open 10 of the new beds at Calvary early in the new financial year and the four-bed stroke unit by January.

Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said $12 million to expand emergency medicine and rapid assessment services at both hospitals would help filter patients through emergency departments more quickly.

There is also $40.8 million for clinical facilities including the expanded Canberra Hospital emergency department and a new children's emergency department.

"The single biggest initiative in there that will relieve pressure on the emergency department is the extra beds that are funded as part of this year's budget at both Canberra and Calvary Hospitals," Ms Gallagher said.

The budget commits $33 million over four years to elective surgery with a surgery target of 11,000 procedures this year.

Work will begin on new health facilities, including the promised sub-acute hospital on the grounds of the University of Canberra.

That project will receive $8.3 million over two years for designs and planning.

A further $2.5 million will be spent over two years to design a 25-bed forensic mental health unit in Symonston, with construction likely in 2015. Ms Gallagher said that date could be brought forward if the plans are finalised sooner.

Designs for a multi-storey car park at Calvary Hospital will receive $1.3 million.

Outpatient services at the Canberra Hospital and Canberra Region Cancer Centre will receive $8 million and there is $4.1 million for mental health services and $3.6 million to establish an obesity management service.

The government will also meet its election promise to establish nurse-led walk-in centres in Tuggeranong and Belconnen, committing $951,000 to those plans.

There is a further $1.7 million for a mobile dental clinic. Health Care Consumer Association executive director Darlene Cox said it was "a good health budget in difficult times", the dental van and extra money for outpatient services being highlights.

But the nurses federation said the budget simply recommitted to measures already outlined in the capital infrastructure plan with no explanation of how the extra services would be delivered without increasing ''the day-to-day pressures'' felt by nurses and midwives.