Community
17 April, 2024
Riordan: health cuts concerns
REGIONAL and rural health services across Polwarth could be facing forced amalgamations, service cuts and closures, according to Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan.
He said just weeks ahead of the upcoming State Budget, reports have indicated Labor is forcing savings targets on all of Victoria’s 76 health services including Timboon and District Healthcare Service (TDHS) and Cobdenhealth.
Mr Riordan claimed these alleged funding cuts follow confirmation more than a dozen regional health services suffered operating losses across 2022-23, with projections that by June 2024 more than half of Victoria’s health services face negative daily cash balances.
“These cuts and threats of large-scale amalgamations demonstrate the disregard Labor has for our local community,” he said.
“Again regional Victorians are expected to pay the price for a Labor Government who has lost control of its finances and is prepared to only spend money on projects in Melbourne.”
“Reduced country health services come on top of cuts to country policing and reduced funding to other emergency services including the CFA, SES and to Life Saving Clubs.
“The Allan Government is going to war with country Victoria.”
Former local MP and former TDHS board chair John Vogels AM also raised concerns over the “recent speculation of the possible forced amalgamation of rural and regional hospitals in Victoria.
He said he believed the state government was going to undertake “a forced amalgamation and merger of local regional health services”.
Mr Vogels said there was a “lack of transparency” surrounding the decision.
He said current rural and regional health services board members have signed confidential disclosure forms, “preventing them from sharing any information with their local communities whom they represent”.
“This secrecy undermines the principles of open governance and deprives the affected communities of their rightful voice in decisions that directly impact their health and wellbeing,” Mr Vogels said.
“Leaks emerging from this veil of secrecy suggest that there will be six new rural and regional health entities created, with Timboon potentially coming under Barwon Health, headquartered in Geelong.”
According to Mr Vogels, reports have indicated the health budget is “set to be slashed” in the upcoming May budget which he said have reinforced his “suspicion that the decision to merge is being undertaken solely to save costs for the government, without regard for the impact on local communities”.
He called on the government to consult with communities before making any decisions.
“Our communities deserve to have a voice in decisions that affect their health and wellbeing,” Mr Vogels said.
The Cobden Timboon Coast Times understands the Victorian State Government has sought insights from all of the state’s health services to contribute to the design and governance of the public health service system.
An Independent Expert Advisory Committee is leading the work.
A Victorian Government spokesperson disputed Mr Vogels claims.
“Mr Vogel’s comments are incorrect, no decision has been made,” the spokesperson said.
“Consultations with our health services are ongoing around how we can best shape our health system to deliver the care that Victorians need into the future, with an emphasis on ensuring local services are available where and when people need them into the future.
“There are no plans to close any Victorian hospitals – unlike the Liberal National Party, we are not in the business of shutting down, privatising or slashing funding to our hospitals.”