Allan govt reveals how hospitals will be grouped under new health plan

The Allan government has detailed how the state’s hospitals will be grouped under a controversial move to streamline resources, which critics have dubbed “amalgamation by stealth”.

The Allan government has revealed how the state’s hospitals will be grouped under a controversial move to streamline resources.

Last year, a highly anticipated Health Services Plan was made public and called for forced amalgamations of health services as part of a total overhaul of the state’s health system.

The recommendation was the only one of 27 made to be rejected by the government, days after new polling revealed it was shedding voters because of its handling of the health crisis.

On Friday, the state government announced the Local Health Service Networks would be grouped together by geographic regions in a move dubbed “amalgamation by stealth”.

But Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas rejected those claims.

Premier Jacinta Allan with Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

“I want to be very clear, when the Premier and I launched the Health Services plan, we made it very clear there would be no forced amalgamations of our health service systems,” she said.

“Every health service will retain its own identity and its own board of management but, of course, we want our health services to work better together and where it makes sense to look at back office operations and combine those there.”

Ms Thomas refused to answer how much money would be saved through the networks.

“The networks have been established to deliver better patient care outcomes,” she said.

“It’s a program that is designed to ensure we are improving access to health, particularly for those in rural or regional Victoria.”

The networks will be established by July 1 this year. Picture: David Crosling

The change will see Bass Coast Health be removed from the Gippsland services and included in the Bayside network with Alfred Health.

Gippsland Southern Health Service chief executive Louise Sparkes and board chair Athina Georgiou welcomed the change.

“We appreciate that the Minister has listened to the request of Gippsland Southern Health Service to join the Bayside network and are confident the new network will be a success,” they said.

Bass Coast Health interim chief executive Simone Alexander said: “These are relationships we’ve worked so hard to develop over the last several years and we’re pleased that input from our staff and our community was included in the final decision about the network structure.”

But Victorian Nationals leader Danny O’Brien said Gippsland health services will be “overshadowed” by major tertiary hospitals.

“What guarantees will the government provide that this won’t lead to services and funding being sucked back into the city?” he said.

Bass Coast Health has been included in the Bayside network with Alfred Health. Picture: Brendan Beckett

“In simple geographic terms how Leongatha and Korumburra fit in with ‘Bayside’ defies logic.

“I am very concerned that the government is proceeding with its merger plan by stealth, which will see local services diminished and local control taken away from our hospitals.”

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said crucial details about the operation of the networks remained unclear.

“Labor’s health merger mess proves they can’t be trusted with our healthcare or our money,” she said.

“Victorians deserve the opportunity to access quality care close to home.

“While Labor focuses on paperwork, patients are left waiting.

“It’s time for a government that prioritises people over bureaucracy.”

Victorian Healthcare Association chief executive Leigh Clarke said: “It is pleasing to see the government has listened to the sector and considered where alternatives to the proposed networks are warranted, that meets community preferences while still achieving economies of scale.”

The networks will be established by July 1 this year.