Friday 19 July 2024
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, knows that the healthcare you receive should not be determined by your postcode, however, that is exactly how the Allan Labor Government have made the local community feel.
Documents leaked recently to major metropolitan newspapers show the Mildura Base Public Hospital has received a directive from the Government to illustrate how their budget could reach a net even position which the documents describe as “Extreme+”
Measures outlined in the documents include closing the emergency department, stopping maternity and paediatrics services, closing the hospital’s Aboriginal health unit, closing one operating theatre and deferring elective surgery.
Ms Benham has been calling for the release of the Mildura Base Public Hospital masterplan since 2023 with the Minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, informing the local media that “It will not be released because it is an important internal working document.”
“The Minister never had any intention of releasing the master plan of our public hospital despite being asked about it several times. It is now obvious why,” Ms Benham said.
“All we ask for is a little transparency please Minister.”
Ms Benham is calling on the Minister to answer these questions to put fears of the community at ease:
Ms Thomas must answer these questions:
1. If the board’s measures aren’t being considered, why did the health department ask the board to formalise them in writing?
2. Will the Minister for Health remove the local decision-making power of the Mildura Base Public Hospital?
3. The Minister says there is no cause for concern, why would these internal documents be leaked if they weren’t cause for concern?
4. When will the Minister confirm the future of Mildura Base Public Hospital?
5. Do the budget cuts prevent Mildura from receiving a much-needed new hospital?
6. Will the Minister release the MBNPH master plan?
7. Can the Minister guarantee there will be no job losses, cuts to services or loss of care for patients through drastic budget cuts or forced consolidations?
