MP’s ‘cruel cuts’ claim

A LIBERAL MP has slammed the State Government for seemingly dumping after-hours emergency-care services from the Barwon Health North project.

South Barwon state Liberal MP Andrew Katos said the $33 million health hub was announced by the 2014 Liberal State Government with emergency facilities to help take the pressure off Geelong Hospital’s Emergency Department.

But now, under a Labor State Government, plans for the health hub no longer appear to include after-hours emergency-care services, he said.

“When we originally allocated the funding for Barwon Health North it was clear that there were going to be emergency capabilities — it’s a clear cutback.

“When you consider the pressure that Geelong Hospital is under, these cuts are even more cruel.”

Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy did not directly answer whether there would be after-hours emergency care services at Barwon Health North when asked yesterday.

Ms Hennessy instead provided a statement claiming there would be a “range of urgent care services” included in the project, and hit back at Mr Katos’ criticism.

“We will not be lectured to by Andrew Katos and the Liberals who, when in office, slashed $1 billion from our health system, broke an election promise for a new public hospital in Geelong, and failed to do any proper planning for the Barwon Health North project,” Ms Hennessy said.

“We’re getting on with building the Barwon Health North project and delivering a range of urgent care services, medical imaging facilities including X-ray and CT, a pathology centre, a pharmacy, dialysis and consulting suites local people need that will reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments, and deliver better care closer to home.”

The latest Australian Institute of health and Welfare figures show Geelong Hospital’s Emergency Department saw about 70,000 patients in 2016/17 — almost 7000 more patients than it saw just two years earlier.

The figures show the Emergency Department saw just half of ‘urgent’ patients on time in 2016/17 — leading to calls from Australia’s peak medical body for the State Government to invest in a second public hospital in Geelong.

Construction started on the Barwon Health North project on the Princes Highway in Norlane in December.