Mildura Base Public Hospital management change starts
Victoria’s only privately-run public hospital has been returned to public hands – much to the delight of those in the Mildura community who fought for the move.
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A new era for Mildura’s public hospital has begun, with Mildura Base Hospital transferred back into public hands.
The hospital had been operated by Ramsay Health Care for the past two decades, after the private sector was tapped to build and run “the Base”.
But after the Victorian Government agreed with a community push to ditch the privatisation model, the keys were on Tuesday officially handed over.
A new name, Mildura Base Public Hospital, also took effect.
More than 900 staff have transitioned to the new entity, wearing new uniforms and having access to salary packaging and other public entity benefits.
Changes to IT systems were still being rolled out.
New hospital chief executive Terry Welch gave credit to staff for continuing to provide care amid both the transition and the coronavirus pandemic.
“If I thought I could give everybody a day off in recognition of the amazing work they’ve done, I wouldn’t hesitate,” Mr Welch said.
Board chair Mary Rydberg said returning the hospital to public management would help connect the hospital with local communities.
“One of the benefits of being a public hospital is having a local board and executive team,” she said.
“Being close to community is important, and creating close relationships in Mildura and the wider region is an important priority right now.”
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the hospital was back “where it should always have been”.
The government was working on a $1 million Mildura and Northern Mallee regional service plan, due for release before the end of the year, to provide a blueprint for service delivery that best meets the needs of Mildura and the northern Mallee.
“The dedicated healthcare team at Mildura Base have done an incredible job caring for patients during this global pandemic, and we thank them for their contribution to ensuring a smooth transition to public ownership,” Ms Mikakos said.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper, a strong advocate for the change, described Tuesday as “a momentous occasion for our entire region”.
“So much work has gone on over the past 12 months to get the hospital ready for its transition to public management, but it is the culmination of 20 years of fighting to get us to this point,” Ms Cupper said.
The long public fight
While it wasn’t the “celebration” they might have anticipated, given coronavirus restrictions, Tuesday was still an emotional day for supporters of the public management campaign.
Steve Parr, who was working in the health care sector when he joined campaign efforts, said it was an “incredible” feeling.
“It felt like a dream that we’d actually get this, it felt like the whole world was against us and there were so many powerful forces against us,” Mr Parr said.
“It goes to show you a small dedicated team of people with the right information and passion can get it done.
“This is a win for Mildura in terms of us reconnecting with Victoria.”
In 1998, the Victorian Government under Jeff Kennett made the call to turn to the private sector, leading to the opening of a new hospital in 2000.
But over time community dissatisfaction with the model developed.
Lobby group Reclaim The Base was formed in 2012 and a community meeting that year was attended by an estimated 600 people, hearing from doctors and nurses about the differences they had encountered between Mildura and fully-public hospitals.
Other events were held and a petition attracted 3000 signatures, but in 2014 the Ramsay contract was extended by the government to 2020.
With another renewal decision looming, a new group called Mildura Hospital Conversation was formed, helping put the management topic on the agenda during the 2018 state election.
Ms Cupper, running as an independent with the hospital at the forefront of her campaign, subsequently won the seat of Mildura.
Ramsay Health Care argued there had not been any major quality, safety or performance issues in its time as operator of the hospital that would warrant the change.
It also offered to spend $13 million on the hospital over 10 years if its contract was renewed.
But last year, after Ms Cupper had put the case directly to Premier Daniel Andrews, the Victorian Government made the decision long-time hospital campaigners had hoped for.
Mr Parr, who now works in Ms Cupper’s office, said it ended the privatisation model which was used only in Mildura and briefly the Latrobe Valley.
The community could also look forward to a return of its Good Friday appeal, which had previously raised money for the hospital.
Former Reclaim The Base chair Jo Rodda said stories from those who’d received unsatisfactory health outcomes at the hospital motivated her to keep fighting over the years.
“For those who question what will change, they don’t have any idea of the level of negative outcomes that were a consequence of that privatisation model,” Ms Rodda said.
“You can’t possibly in health put profits before patients.”
Interim chair Bob Cameron, who was steering the transition process, said the new structure meant other, smaller hospitals in Ouyen and Robinvale could look to Mildura for leadership.
“This will be making Mildura Base Hospital connected to the system, just like all the other hospitals are and just like the people of Mildura have wanted for a long time,” Mr Cameron said.
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