Daniel Andrews Hospitals budget crisis

DANIEL Andrews is forcing our major hospitals budgets into deficit by simultaneously expecting them to see more patients while reducing their funding to do so, says Shadow Minister for Health Mary Wooldridge.

The Government’s Health Policy and Funding Guidelines are deliberately difficult to navigate and buried on page 263 is a list of 44 patient ‘complexities’ that will no longer be funded.

When hospitals admit patients with more complex needs they are more expensive to treat, but will no longer attract the necessary extra funding for that added complexity.

In addition, soaring electricity prices will see energy costs triple at some health services, adding further pressure to already squeezed budgets.

Daniel Andrews has frequently said Victorian hospitals are the most efficient in the country, but is now making them cut to the bone in order try to manage his deficit budgets, in some hospitals in the order of $30 to $40 million.

Hospitals have been left to try to pick up the pieces, but these harsh cuts will inevitably reduce front line services, reduce staff and impact on patient care.

Daniel Andrews needs reverse these cuts or explain to Victorians patients the impact of his cruel, 11th hour hospital funding cuts.

Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Health Mary Wooldridge:

“Hospital budgets are under massive pressure as funding is not keeping up with the services hospitals are expected to deliver and Daniel Andrews is refusing to fund the gap.

“Hospitals are already being crushed by skyrocketing power prices and booming population growth and now Daniel Andrews leaves them cash-strapped.

“The Andrews Labor Government’s legacy is eleven new taxes, throwing away $1.1 billion scrapping the East West Link and now driving hospital budgets into the red.”

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