On Tuesday, April 27, the Victorian Liberal-Nationals launched the ‘Hands Off Our Hospitals’ petition in response to what they call a growing push to amalgamate services.
They said hospitals at Mildura, Warrnambool, Horsham, Wangaratta, Echuca, Wonthaggi and Bairnsdale were among those targeted by the plan, which would see larger health services appointed as lead organisations.
“Far from delivering better services, hospital mergers mean longer waiting lists, loss of local control, increased travel to get the treatment you deserve and local job losses,” Mr Walsh said.
But a Victorian Government spokesperson said local hospitals were not being amalgamated and any suggestion was “simply scaremongering”.
“The Member for Murray Plains is dreaming if he thinks country Victorians have forgotten what the Liberal-Nationals did to their hospitals before they were booted from government in 2014 — hospitals were run into the ground with funding cuts, services slashed and staff sacked,” the spokesperson said.
“Providing safe and quality healthcare close to home is our priority and we will not be dictated to by those engaging in political point-scoring.
“Our hospitals and health services have a strong history — well before the coronavirus pandemic — of working together to provide better healthcare for local communities, with more specialists and care services and more jobs for local communities.”
The plan referred to by the Liberal-Nationals was released in 2017 and outlines a 20-year pathway to address flaws and deliver “lasting changes to the health system”.
One of the priority areas, strengthening regional and rural health services, includes moving to a “formal partnership approach” and positions ERH as part of the Loddon Campaspe and Mallee area alongside Bendigo Health and Mildura Regional Hospital.
ERH chief executive Nick Bush said it had not had any correspondence regarding the hospital entering into a merger from the Victorian Government or any health services.
He said the strong partnership between ERH and Bendigo Health had been running for more than 50 years.
“We need their support to provide some of the specialist services and also the training of junior staff,” he said.
“I think it provides leadership to some of the other regional health services and provides support to the smaller hospitals.”
For information about the petition, visit www.handsoffourhospitals.com.au
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