Community
24 April, 2024
McArthur raises hospital concerns
HOSPITALS continue to be a hot topic ahead of next month’s state budget, with another politician voicing concerns over cost cutting.
As the Cobden Timboon Coast Times revealed in the last edition, Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan and former MP and former Timboon and District Healthcare Service board chair John Vogels AM reported regional hospitals could be facing amalgamations.
Member for Western Victoria Bev McArthur raised the matter at the Regional Sitting of the Legislative Council in Echuca and said a lack of transparency has “shocked communities”.
“We know that the Treasurer has already demanded cuts – ‘Financial Management Improvement Plans’ as the doublespeak goes – but the upcoming budget is inspiring real fear,” she said.
“The catastrophic impact of Labor’s inability to manage money becomes clearer by the day. And regional Victorians suffer most.
“In Western Victoria I hear alarming reports that money given by local benefactors for specific requests will be siphoned off as operational cash.
“This, at a time when forced amalgamation of rural and regional hospitals is threatened.”
Mrs McArthur called on Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas to confirm whether the government is avoiding transparency and if they are “gagging hospital board members”.
“Can you confirm that current regional health-service board members have been required to sign non-disclosure agreements, preventing them from sharing information with the communities they represent, on what would be deeply unpopular and damaging mergers?” she asked.
As this was a Constituency Question, the Minister in the Legislative Assembly has 30 days to respond.
In response to questions from this publication a Victorian State Government spokesperson hit out at Mrs McArthur’s claims.
“The Member for Western Victoria’s attempts to score political points through shameless fear mongering is a plight on her community,” the spokesperson said.
“Time and again they are fed falsehoods on important topics – the only lack of transparency they should be concerned about is hers.
“We are not in the business of cutting frontline health budgets and we don’t intent to start now, our track record in health speaks for itself – unlike the Liberal National Party, we don’t close, privatise or slash funding to our hospitals.”
The Cobden Timboon Coast Times understands an Independent Expert Advisory Committee has been looking at how public health services can better work together and utilise resources.
As part of the brief it’s understood the health department has requested all services look at options to reduce any inefficiencies.