Sadly, our regional health providers remain under threat.
In an issue of the North Central Review last year, The Minister for Health and the Attorney General were dismissive of the ongoing challenges our essential health services are facing.
While speaking on issues brought directly to me by our local medical professionals may seem like a “fear campaign” to this Government, it is what I like to call community advocacy – something foreign to many members of their party.
As someone who has volunteered at local hospitals that suffered years of government neglect, I invited them both to meet with our local healthcare providers, GPs, and other medical professionals who have raised these concerns with me.
They should hear how our providers really feel about this Labor Government.
Of the 27 Priority Primary Care Centres the Labor Government boasted about, there are none in the Euroa electorate that I represent.
Additionally, 19 of these are in Labor electorates, and just 5 are in Nationals or Liberal seats.
For people in my community, access to general practice is not being improved but rather going backwards under this Government.
GPs are already suffering with significant waitlists or are just flat out unable to accept new patients.
To best serve our communities and provide the care our locals require – these GPs are in need of more support, not less.
The flow on affect has reached our urgent care facilities – which like our GPs, are already having an incredibly difficult time.
The Government’s “commitment” to ensuring all Victorian communities have healthcare available close to home, especially in rural and remote locations, is simply all talk.
Hospitals in my region are struggling and in need of assistance to remain open. As things stand, we are seeing mergers between different hospitals just to remain open.
For the hospitals that remain open, the resources are limited.
Benalla is without a dialysis facility despite frequent appeals to this government.
Nexus in Kilmore is dependent on community funding.
Maternity facilities in Heathcote are non-existent, urgent care beds in Seymour are under threat.
The closest PET scan machine is in the next electorate.
Euroa Health has partnered with generous local farmers to raise funds for crucial equipment.
The Health Minister must stop blaming the Federal Government of yesteryear and start taking responsibility of the state’s poorly managed health system under her watch – because sadly, it has never had such devastating outcomes for regional patients.
