Nursing homes receive funds

Nursing homes on the Peninsula will receive an extra $3500 per patient from July 1 to conform to building and fire safety standards.

The funding is a result of Federal Government Funding announced in the May Budget for nursing homes across Australia.

Woy Woy nursing home Boronia Court will receive $144,000 and Woy Woy Community Aged Care will receive $324,000.

In Umina, Peninsula Village Retirement Centre will receive $359,000 and Jack Aldous Memorial Nursing Home will receive $344,000.

The one-off payment must be used to either install fire sprinklers, update fire safety equipment, engage a professional fire safety consultant or improve fire safety training for staff.

The funding can also be used to upgrade buildings to meet benchmarks in fire safety or privacy and space targets to be met by 2008.

If providers have already met these standards, the funding must be used to improve the quality and range of aged care services or to retire debt.

Member for Robertson Mr Jim Lloyd said that ensuring elderly Central Coast residents received the best quality was always one of his highest priorities.

"As the Coast continues to grow, there will be a need for further nursing home beds and I am pleased that the 84-bed Hammond Care facilities in Woy Woy are nearing completion.

Alison Branley, Press release, June 28 Jim Lloyd, Member for Robertson