St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne accused of discrimination after giving Indigenous patients fast-tracked care

Indigenous patients are receiving fast-tracked care over other sick Victorians at St Vincent’s Hospital’s emergency department, sparking allegations of discrimination and the “first glimpse” of what the state’s Treaty will look like.

St Vincent's Hospital is facing backlash for giving Indigenous patients priority over other Victorians in its emergency department. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Indigenous patients are receiving fast-tracked care over other Victorians at a major Melbourne emergency department, sparking allegations of discrimination.

In an Australian first, staff at St Vincent’s Hospital have been ordered to treat all Indigenous patients within 30 minutes of arrival, putting them ahead of other patients in some cases.

The move has prompted warnings that prioritising care based on race risked undermining confidence in a public system already under intense strain.

It comes as the Allan government’s divisive statewide Treaty is expected to pass parliament this week, with debate resuming in the upper house on Tuesday.

Herald Sun front page on Tuesday, October 28.

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.

The opposition has vowed to repeal the agreement – which is supported by just 37 per cent of Victorians according to latest polling – if elected next year.

Policy changes introduced at St Vincent’s Hospital in April last year require all Indigenous patients to be assigned a minimum category three triage.

It means they must be seen within 30 minutes, and puts them ahead of semi-urgent category four patients and non-urgent category patients.

There were more than 17,000 of those patients in the year to June.

Of those, just 65 per cent of category four patients, and 89 per cent of category five patients, were seen within recommended times, according to the Victorian Agency for Health Information.

The hospital has now been nominated for a Victorian Public Healthcare Award with a citation noting “First Nations patients are now seen more promptly than non-Indigenous patients”.

It is estimated about 5 per cent of the hospital’s emergency department presentations are Indigenous, higher than any other Victorian hospital.

A hospital spokesperson defended the policy, saying it was part of a broader effort to improve access for Indigenous patients.

“Research conducted in St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne’s (SVHM) ED showed First Nations patients were, on average, waiting longer to be seen compared to non-Indigenous patients,” she said.

Indigenous patients are receiving fast-tracked care. Picture: Supplied.

“The research also showed First Nations patients were more likely to remain engaged with care if seen within their first hour of ED presentation.

“ED wait times for First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians are now comparable thanks to the introduction of this policy.

“It has had no negative impact on overall ED access and patient flow.”

But shadow health minister Georgie Crozier accused the hospital of blatant discrimination.

“The triaging of patients should be done on medical need, not based on the colour of your skin,” she said.

“This sort of discrimination will only divide our society.

“This is the first glimpse at what Jacinta Allan’s divisive treaty will look like.”

The Allan government’s divisive Treaty is expected to become law this week. Picture: David Crosling

Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas on Wednesday applauded St Vincent’s for prioritising Indigenous patients in its emergency department.

“These are decisions made by clinicians, but St Vincent’s is taking some proactive steps in order to close the gap when it comes to the health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians, which, of course, are much worse than those of non-Aboriginal Victorians.

“And I applaud this hospital for the actions taken to meet the needs of the community that they serve.”

Asked whether other hospitals should adopt a similar policy, Ms Thomas said each hospital would make clinical decisions that are appropriate for their population, and that it was up to leadership teams to make those decisions.