Council
14 August, 2024
State health reforms
THE Victorian Government has unveiled one of the largest reforms to health in the state’s history, with forced mergers ruled out after months of speculation from the Opposition.
Last Thursday Premier Jacinta Allan unveiled the final report from the Expert Advisory Committee, accepting 26 of the 27 recommendations in principle.
The Victorian Government has stated it will not accept the recommendation (7.1) to forcibly amalgamate, merge, or consolidate any of Victoria’s health services, and all health services will retain individual boards.
Concerns have also swirled health services will face significant budget cuts.
Western District Newspapers understands the Victorian Government has not yet made a final decision on what budgets will be for 2024/2025, but expects a decision to be made by the end of August.
While the Victorian Government has ruled out mergers, it has instead accepted the committee’s recommendation to launch 11 new Local Health Service Networks (LHSN) will be implemented with an aim of strengthening relationships between various independent health services within a specific region.
The Barwon South West LHSN will comprise 12 health services from Geelong to the South Australian border – including Terang and Mortlake Health Service, Timboon District Healthcare Service and South West Healthcare.
The Networks seeks to align population areas with the spectrum of health care needs for those within the network, while also sharing operational functions, such as payroll and IT, to ensure a streamlined process.
This Barwon South West LHSN will be the largest regional network and can deliver 90 per cent of care through hospitals in Geelong or Warrnambool.
Meanwhile, the LHSN will partnering with a major tertiary, women’s and children’s hospital to strengthen referral pathways and streamline getting patients to specialist care.
The report did not recommend a separate LHSN grouping which would have seen Barwon (Geelong-Colac region) differentiated from a South West (Warrnambool region) network.
This alternative configuration was not recommended due to the existing complex care which patients from the south west receive in Geelong.
To oversee the LHSN’s across the state the Victorian Government will establish Hospitals Victoria – a new agency within the Department of Health, with inaugural chief executive Siva Sivarajah reporting directly to health ministers.
Hospitals Victoria will oversee the financial performance and sustainability of health services in Victoria.
Mr Sivarajah accepts the role from his position as chief executive of Northern Health, where board chair Jennifer Williams has praised the results under his leadership.
“Since 2015, Siva has been instrumental in our health service growing from a small community hospital to one of the most innovative and sustainable health services in the state,” Ms Williams said.
“Under his leadership, total revenue grew from around $400 million to $1.2 billion.
“Staffing levels increased from 4000 to 9000.
“Capital redevelopment projects, both complete and in progress, continue to provide outstanding care to our growing and diverse community.”
The Victorian Government will also establish an electronic medical record system within all hospitals, replacing what the Expert Advisory Committee outlined as an antiquated system in which many health services used different systems, resulting in ongoing delays and duplications.
Premier Jacinta Allan also unveiled an additional $1.5 billion investment in Victorian hospitals, building on the $8.8 billion already invested.
Western District Newspapers understands the additional $1.5 billion commitment will in part be used to bolster forthcoming budgets for health services.
“As the sister of a nurse, and the mum of a daughter who has relied on the life-saving care of our hospitals – my priority will always be patients and their families,” Ms Allan said.
“We will always support our hospitals – because that’s what Labor does.”
Minister for Health Mary-Ann Thomas said the reforms and additional funding would continue to strengthen health care in Victoria.
“Victoria’s health system is one of the best in the world, and these reforms will keep us on track to deliver even better patient care through a reformed health system that is better integrated and connected, at the same time protecting the local services we know Victorians trust and rely on,” she said.