Mildura Base hospital still awaiting promised master plan

With patients forced to travel to Adelaide or Sydney for lifesaving operations, Mildura’s MP has said inaction over hospital upgrades was costing lives.

A local MP claims inaction over upgrades to a Mildura hospital is “costing lives”.

Speaking in parliament, Mildura state Nationals MP Jade Benham said many patients were forced to travel to Adelaide or Sydney for lifesaving care with Mildura Base Hospital waiting two years for major government investment.

“The people that live in the Mildura base public hospital catchment area, across three states, are running out of patience,” she said.

“It’s costing lives, the cost is too high”

Mildura Base Public Hospital is still waiting on a master plan.

“We often hear the government speak about how postcodes does dictate health care but if your healthcare is around 3500 it certainly does,” she said.

When asked for further comment Ms Benham spoke about the more specific needs of the hospital.

National Party MP Jade Benham. Picture: Else Kennedy

“The human cost we are having is very real; there are specialist areas, trauma incidents, helicopters that we can’t deal with here in Mildura,” she said.

“If you can’t deal with it here people will not survive, people are dying.”

One local, Elizabeth Miller, had to travel 11 hours to Sydney for life saving brain surgery.

Ms Miller said that was hard being away from her family while also dealing with the financial burden.

Elizabeth Miller is about to undergo her third surgery for her very rare medical conditions. Her, and her partner and four kids live in Mildura but will have to travel to a specialist in Sydney for the costly surgery.

“It was very difficult being away from home and the kids for a month for the surgery and recovery but unfortunately it was what needed to happen,” she said.

“It’s getting very expensive having to go back and forward from Sydney for appointments and scans as there’s no one in Mildura that really understands my condition.”

“It would have been amazing to be treated somewhere closer to home.”

A spokesman from the state government said that it’s “essential” the community gets the best care possible.

“It‘s absolutely essential the community has access to the best possible care, which is why we returned Mildura Base Public Hospital back to the community and delivered more than $30m to upgrade and expand it,” they said.

“The master plan is still being considered to ensure residents in the Mallee get the clinical services that support the community.”