The number of complaints made about public hospitals has risen significantly in recent years, demonstrating the urgent need for immediate fixes to the state’s broken healthcare system.
A new report has shown that complaints directed towards Victorian public hospitals have risen by nearly 30 per cent in the last eight years.
The 2023-24 Health Complaints Commissioner Annual Report revealed there were 1,326 complaints directed to public hospitals – with only 217 directed towards private hospitals.
When compared to the 2016-17 annual report, public hospital complaints have increased by 29.4 per cent, whereas private hospital complaints have decreased by 3.1 per cent.
The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, said the rise in complaints was yet another example of a failing health system after a decade under Labor and significant cuts to health funding.
“The Victorian public hospital system is broken, and Victorians are not able to get the care they need when they need it most,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Labor’s financial mismanagement is having a direct impact on frontline services and patient outcomes are suffering.”
In addition to issues within public hospitals, Victorian patients remain at risk due to a lack of urgency in adopting a new Triple Zero dispatch system more than 18 months on from commitments made by the Labor Government.
In September 2022, the then Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA), were aware of dispatch delays and the decline in call pick-ups that contributed to the loss of 33 Victorians lives.
The 2023-24 State Budget then committed funding for ESTA to procure a new computer aided dispatch system and $2 million to support the Triple Zero reform program “so Victorians know that they’ll get the help they need, quickly and reliably.”
However, to this day, there is no contract listed on the project’s website.
Ms Cleeland, who is also Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health, said that Labor must follow through on their promises.
“Once again the Labor Government has promised to deliver on important services only to fall short,” Ms Cleeland said.
“This was first flagged as a critical issue in July 2021, then again in April 2022, and yet it’s still on hold.
“With the summer approaching, along with potential storms and bushfires, as well as illnesses such as thunderstorm asthma, Victorians are still being left vulnerable.
“Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our health system and Victorians are paying the price.”
Ambulance Victoria’s official response time targets are that 85 per cent of code 1 emergencies are responded to within 15 minutes
However, in Benalla just 57 per cent of ambulances responded within this time, in the Mitchell Shire only 51 per cent of ambulances reached the target, the Campaspe Shire saw just 58 per cent arrive within the target time, and in the Strathbogie Shire just 31.8 per cent of ambulances arrived within 15 minutes for an average wait of over 23 minutes.
A Parliamentary Inquiry into Ambulance Victoria is still accepting submissions, with Ms Cleeland encouraging everyone to share their experiences at https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/ambulancevicinquiry