Politics & Council
5 May, 2024
Heath horror budget fears: mega Bendigo model on cards
By CHRIS EARL FINAL recommendations to restructure Victorian hospitals were expected to land on the State Government’s desk lastweek. Growing fears for the future independence of health services in Inglewood and Boort come as the Government is...
By CHRIS EARL
FINAL recommendations to restructure Victorian hospitals were expected to land on the State Government’s desk lastweek.
Growing fears for the future independence of health services in Inglewood and Boort come as the Government is expected to take the razor to spending in Tuesday’s Budget.
The Health Service Partnerships Evaluation: Steering Committee Report has proposed that Bendigo takes over management more than a dozen services in a shake-up of hospital administration.
The Government on Monday did not respond to Loddon Herald questions asking if it supported the future of Inglewood and Boort services.
A spokesperson said: “Our health system - like health systems across Australia and around the world - is facing significant challenges due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important we look at how the system is organised to ensure we are delivering the very best health care, closer to home for all Victorians wherever they live.
“No decisions have been made – the independent committee has not finalised their report to government.”
The Government says the current structure of Victoria’s health system has been in place “for over 20 years, despite massive changes in how healthcare is delivered, and the specific healthcare needs of our communities”. “We have sought the invaluable insights of all of Victoria’s health services to contribute to the optimal design and governance of the public health service system – looking at how public health services can better work together and best utilise resources to deliver improved care for all Victorians.”
The refusal to answer questions on the future of Loddon’s two major health services came the same day Bendigo Health released information on a video explaining its regional cancer centre to educate communities and staff “located at Bendigo Hospital and further afield in sub-regional health services”.
Murray Plains MP and Nationals leader Peter Walsh said local health services were in the Government’s firing line “with their funding already on life support and their independence almost certain to be lost, with centralised control putting Bendigo in charge of everything west to Mildura”.
“Regional Victoria is about to realise the full cost of the Allan Labor government’s crippling financial incompetence,” he said.
“Victoria is now facing a staggering debt of almost $180 billion by 2027 and that will only keep climbing because Ms Allan and her incompetent Cabinet have not got a clue about managing money let alone a whole economy, and just keep writing cheques.
“Regional and rural health services across Victoria are facing forced amalgamations, service cuts and closures as the Allan Labor government slashes millions in health funding in a desperate bid to shore up our collapsing economy,” he says.
“That’s all the Big Build gives regional Victoria – a big bill, a bloody big bill and we are getting nothing in return.”
Mr Walsh said the Budget could have brutal consequences for country towns.
“Look at our roads, our short-staffed police stations, CFA crews driving trucks more than 30 years old out of cramped, obsolete and inadequate stations.
“And now we are likely to be limping along with even less and that means we will be living with damaged roads for even longer, flood repairs still not done will wait longer, and flood mitigation will become a fantasy.
“Just weeks from the upcoming budget, reports have indicated Labor is forcing unrealistic savings targets on all of Victoria’s 76 health services, which will collectively see millions cut over coming years – that’s got to be putting the quality of service and of healthcare at risk,” Mr Walsh said.