Latrobe Regional Hospital will be able to perform more surgeries with The Nationals announcing it will deliver the latest robotic technology to the Valley in government.
Latrobe Regional Hospital will be one of two regional hospitals to receive the technology under the announcement.
The Nationals planned $66 million investment into surgical robotics in Victoria will help reduce surgery waitlists that have reached record highs under Daniel Andrews.
Robotic-assisted surgery helps reduce the pressure on our hospital system because patients have shorter hospital stays, freeing up capacity for more surgeries to be performed.
Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Deputy Leader of The Nationals, Emma Kealy said one of The Nationals key priorities was to fix the health crisis in Victoria.
“Surgery waitlists have blown out to record levels under the Andrews Labor Government.
“Daniel Andrews has been Health Minister of Premier 12 out of the past 16 years – the neglect of our health system is his doing.
“People have been left for far too long in pain waiting for critical surgeries that have profoundly impacted their quality of life.
“The Nationals have a real plan to fix the health system and our investment in robotics will help achieve it.”
The robotics for Latrobe Regional Hospital will be supported by a comprehensive training package and whole of life maintenance plan.
Robotics technology is currently used at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and University Hospital Geelong as well as 16 private hospitals across Victoria.
The Nationals candidate for Morwell, Martin Cameron said he was incredibly pleased that Latrobe Regional Hospital will receive surgery robotics.
“Speeding up surgeries and recovery times will help Valley locals get back on their feet sooner and address the health and wellbeing of locals.
“My focus is squarely on improving the lives and livelihoods of people living in Latrobe Valley.
“The health of too many locals have suffered under Labor, introducing state of the art medical technology to our local public hospital is a positive step forward.
“In addition to robotics, we have a comprehensive health plan to fix the Triple 000 crisis plaguing our ambulance service, unlock 2,000,000 new mental health appointments and train and recruit 40,000 more health care workers.
“The Nationals commitment is to halve the surgical waitlist in the next four years, so Valley locals no longer have to spend unacceptable times in pain waiting for surgery.”