Extra 860 doctors, nurses for Victoria MORE than 860 new doctors and nurses will be working in Victoria under a $238 million funding boost in next week's state budget. The funding package includes $194 million for undergraduate training to provide a significant boost in clinical placements for nursing, medical and allied health students. There is also $42 million for postgraduate training, which will inject 860 new doctors and nurses into the health system. Health Minister David Davis says more doctors and nurses are vital so the health system can service a growing population. "As the population grows, so too does the challenge on our health system and additional needs for new intern and new graduate places in medicine, nursing, midwifery and medical radiation," he said on Friday. Mr Davis also revealed a separate $2.5 million will be spent over the next 12 months on telehealth projects. Telehealth has been demonstrated to be effective at improving access to a range of services, particularly for people in rural and regional areas. The government has also announced it will allocate $11.7 million in Tuesday's budget to upgrade Melbourne's Federation Square. The money will be spent on asset replacement works on the existing structures and buildings. Tourism Minister Louise Asher says Federation Square is a decade old and attracts 10 million visitors each year. "Now is the time to address a maintenance backlog," she said. Treasurer Michael O'Brien said the budget would ensure important maintenance, particularly on the public transport network, could be done. We're very keen to invest in maintaining our assets, whether it's the public transport system or whether it's a modern Melbourne icon like Fed Square.