Hospital cuts a “disaster”

West Gippsland Hospital will be shortchanged $14.2 million – the equivalent of its entire annual elective surgery budget – claims Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing.

Ms Shing said the $14.2 million cut for West Gippsland Healthcare Group over five years from 2020 to 2025 would mean the equivalent of 114 fewer nurses, 48 fewer doctors or just under 2300 fewer elective surgeries.

Consulting anaesthesiologist Robert Sinnett, who worked at the hospital for 37 years, believes the cuts would be “a disaster”, with job cuts and blown out elective surgery waitlists.

“We couldn’t operate with that kind of loss without massive cuts,” said Dr Sinnett.

However, the funding cut claims were rubbished by Member for McMillan Russell Broadbent who stated the Victorian Government figures were “distorted” and “misleading”.

Mr Broadbent said the Turnbull Government would provide a “huge” increase of 6.5 per cent in funding - four times higher than the rate of inflation.

“Any shortfall for country Victoria is because the (state) government allows that to happen. They manage the funds,” he said.

Victorian Minister for Health Jill Hennessy said under the Turnbull Government’s National Health Reform Agreement 2020/21 to 2024/25, the Liberals were capping their contribution at 6.5 per cent growth – which would not meet demand in Victorian hospitals – and refusing to increase the Commonwealth contribution rate to 50 per cent.

She said it would mean $2.1 billion less for Victorian hospitals over the five years.

Ms Shing said “we will not stand by while vital funds are cut from our hospitals – they will impact on doctors, nurses and crucial care our local people need. Gippslanders reject this agreement.”

Ms Shing said the real cuts would impact the community at a time when hospital demand and the cost of providing healthcare were rising.

She said the Victorian Government was providing “record high” health funding.

“We’re putting that money to where it’s needed. It would be great if the Commonwealth could come to the party,” she said.

Dr Sinnett said the general feeling of hospital staff was frustration. He said $14.2 million would wipe out an entire annual elective surgery budget.

He added that the hospital was one of the biggest employers in the area but the equation was simple, less money would mean less jobs.

“It’s very important that we get adequate funding. And get funding for a new hospital.”

In pressing the urgent need for a new hospital, Dr Sinnett said staff were working in “totally inadequate” facilities.

“There’s no way to operate without the new hospital. Delaying the relocation would be a disaster.”

Asked if the cuts would impact any decision to build a new hospital in Warragul, Ms Shing said the state government needed to know if what the Commonwealth would contribute in new funding would be jeopardised by the agreement.

Mr Broadbent said the distorted figures were coming from the Victorian Government in an election year.

“It’s rubbish, absolute rubbish. People are sick of this sort of politics.”

He claimed the Victorian Government was one of the wealthiest state governments but provided the least in terms of education and health funding.

Questioned on Ms Shing’s comments about whether the agreement could jeopardise a new hospital development, Mr Broadbent said “if they walk away from the new Warragul Hospital, they don’t deserve to be anywhere near governance”.

Rural burglary

A chainsaw and whipper snipper were amongst items stolen from unlocked sheds on a rural property at Trafalgar last week.

Police are investigating the burglary at a property in Sunny Creek Rd between February 9 and February 16.

Offenders stole a Ryobi chainsaw, Ryobi whipper snipper, garden tools and a solar panel valued at $770.

In another burglary, concrete stumps valued at $600 were stolen from a house under construction in the Jackson’s View Estate last week.

The theft occurred at a construction site in Bexley Rd, overnight on Tuesday night.

Police urged residents in developing estates to notify police of any suspicious behaviour around construction sites, particularly after hours.