Labor reveals primary health centre plan; Liberals’ plan to transform Victoria’s quarantine hub

Premier Daniel Andrews claims the Liberals’ grand plans to transform Victoria’s quarantine hub don’t stack up, saying the government already looked into the idea.

The site could be repurposed for temporary ‘hospital’ use. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

An Opposition plan to use the Mickleham quarantine facility for hospital patients has been rubbished by Premier Daniel Andrews, who said the state looked into the idea but was told it didn’t stack up.

It comes after opposition leader Matthew Guy revealed the quarantine centre would be temporarily repurposed for hospital patients under a coalition government to help tackle the state’s health crisis.

Up to 250 beds would be converted at the hub in Melbourne’s north to care for non-acute patients.

This would reduce “bed block” in hospital wards that is contributing to chronic ambulance ramping and delays.

The crisis recently led to Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne’s east erecting makeshift tents to treat patients while they waited for space in permanent wards.

The opposition is promising to repurpose the quarantine hub. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Mr Guy said transfers to the quarantine hub – called the Centre for National Resilience — would be voluntary, and the scheme would be aimed at people with low care needs waiting for long-term accommodation, such as NDIS or aged care patients.

“Fixing the health crisis will take innovative, positive solutions – and that is what this plan is all about,” Mr Guy said.

“It makes no sense that Mickleham should sit empty while we have a health crisis that is worsening by the day.”

Mr Andrews rubbished the plan when he was asked about it on Sunday.

He said the government had previously examined ways to use the facility for health services but were advised against it.

“We had a close look at this, very close look at this,” Mr Andrews said.

“Whether it be for NDIS patients, aged care patients.

“The answer back from the experts, the doctors and clinical experts, is that it’s not clinically safe to do that.

“If you’re well enough to leave hospital, you’re well enough to go Mickleham for example, then you are well enough to go home.”

Mr Andrews said people in quarantine at Mickleham were moved to a hospital if they had “anything more than a sniffle”.

“It’s not a hospital,” he said.

“It’s a quarantine centre. It’s specifically built to keep people apart not to have people together supervised and cared for by nurses or by doctors.

“The clinical advice from experts is that it’s not clinically safe to pretend that that place is a hospital.”

Mr Andrews said money could be better spent instead of turning the Mickleham site into a more suitable location.

He said this included the Better at Home program, which allows people to receive treatment and advice without visiting health services, and investments building and upgrading existing hospitals.

How hub change would work

If elected in November, the coalition would request support from the Australian Defence Force to help staff the Mickleham facility, and source healthcare staff outside of the hospital system.

State funding would be allocated from money saved by the coalition dumping the Andrews government's $34.5 billion Suburban Rail Loop.

On Friday, 34 people were in the quarantine facility, which is in danger of becoming a white elephant now that there are no requirements for Covid-19 patients to isolate.

The Centre for National Resilience cost $580 million to build and is owned by the Commonwealth – but is currently being run by the state under a licence agreement.

In July, the Sunday Herald Sun revealed that the cost of quarantining 1900 visitors who had stayed at the Mickleham centre was about $13,000 a head, with staff numbers now scaled back from 550 at its February opening, to 186 last month.

Mr Guy said there was an opportunity to convert a quarter of the facility, which is split into four “villages” of 250 beds, to temporary “hospital” use.

Under the opposition’s plan, the rooms would be used to care for non-acute patients. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

“We need to take advantage of this facility which in a short period of time could be used to accommodate hundreds of willing patients who no longer require acute hospital care and would be more comfortable in a setting with full support while they await placement into aged care or special accommodation,” he said.

Any change in the centre’s use would need to be approved by the Commonwealth under a new licence agreement.

Last month, federal Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said there was “flexibility for governments to agree to non-quarantine uses for the centre”.

“The design of the centres opens up possibilities to support: health systems, future health emergencies; humanitarian efforts,” she said.

State opposition health spokeswoman, Georgie Crozier, said the Liberal National plan was about giving patients choice, and boosting capacity in hospitals.

“Many patients awaiting transfer to longer term accommodation would be more comfortable in Mickleham being appropriately supported than remaining in a busy hospital ward,” she said.

“It’s something that could be done immediately to free up some hospital beds and allow more Victorians to be treated in our hospital system.”

Labor’s move to ease hospitals pressure

Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday announced five new primary health centres, aimed at easing pressure on the state’s embattled health system, would be built near key hospitals.

The Andrews government’s new Priority Primary Health Care centres will be led by GPs to provide care without needing to visit an emergency department.

This includes treatments for burns, fractures and minor infections.

Mr Andrews said centres will be set up near existing hospitals and run seven days a week.

The five sites will be close to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Northern Hospital, Epping, Sunshine Hospital, Monash Medical Centre Clayton and Grampians Health Ballarat.

It’s expected they will take pressure off emergency department staff while also providing non-urgent care.

Centres will begin opening by September will all five set to open by November.