Massive $183m cash shortfall hits Victorian public hospitals

MAJORITY of public hospital doctors are working unsafe hours as Victoria’s hospitals face a $183 million shortfall over four years, according to a new Labor campaign attacking Malcolm Turnbull over health funding.

VICTORIA’S hospitals are facing a $183 million shortfall over four years, according to a new Labor campaign attacking Malcolm Turnbull over health funding.

The federal government has offered Victoria a new five-year deal to inject an extra $7 billion into the state’s public hospitals by 2025.But Labor says the government’s existing agreement with the states until 2020 is not keeping pace with demand in Victoria’s emergency departments, which treated 1.7 million patients last year.

ANDREWS REJECTS $7BN HOSPITAL DEAL

VICTORIAN HOSPITAL FUNDING STOUSH BREWING

The $183 million hospital shortfall could pay for 30,000 births. File image: Alex Coppel

The state’s hospitals are only receiving 45 per cent of their budgets from the Commonwealth, rather than Labor’s goal of 50 per cent, leaving the $183 million shortfall which could pay for an estimated 30,000 births or 7000 knee replacements.

Labor leader Bill Shorten and Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King will on Wednesday launch their “fix our hospitals” campaign to pressure the government ahead of May’s federal Budget.

“When you or your loved one is sick, the last thing you need is to worry about is whether your local hospital has enough beds to give you the health care you need,” Mr Shorten told the Herald Sun.

“Under Turnbull, doctors, nurses and hospital staff are over stretched and under resourced. They are crying out for help — but Turnbull isn’t listening.”

More than half of public hospital doctors work unsafe hours. File image

The total number of sick Victorians presenting to emergency departments each year has increased by 158,000 since the Coalition was elected in 2013, and more than half of public hospital doctors are now working unsafe hours.

But despite the renewed campaign, Labor is yet to commit to delivering extra cash to Victoria’s public hospitals and paying for half of their bills.

Mr Turnbull presented his hospital funding deal to state and territory leaders at last month’s Council of Australian Governments summit, saying it was a generous offer which provided record funding.

The number of sick Victorians presenting emergency departments has increased significantly. File image

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New South Wales and Western Australia signed up to the deal but Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he could not agree “at this stage”.

The state government argued the Commonwealth’s offer capped funding increases at 6.5 per cent a year, which it said would not be enough cover increasing demand from public hospital patients.

Victoria has also complained it is owed another $104 million from the federal government for its hospitals, a spat which is expected to be resolved soon.

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