State’s largest prison hospital to stay open after fears dangerous inmates would be treated at public hospitals
The state government has scrapped plans to shut Port Phillip Prison’s hospital, after the Herald Sun revealed prison officers’ fears dangerous inmates would flood public hospitals for treatment after its closure.
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The state’s largest prison hospital at outgoing Port Phillip Prison will remain open when the maximum security facility shuts up shop in a bid to keep killers and rapists out of public hospitals.
Some of the state’s worst prisoners soon to be transferred from Port Phillip to the brand new Western Plains Correctional Centre will be driven 45 minutes back to the old facility for medical treatment.
The special St John’s Ward unit, the largest of its kind in the state, received a $20m facelift in 2020, doubling the number of beds to 40.
The Allan government revealed on Friday that half of those beds would remain open beyond the prison’s shut down, which is expected by December 31.
Even with just 20 beds, it will remain bigger than a brand new unit at the soon-to-open Western Plains prison.
It comes after the Herald Sun revealed fears of a surge in violent criminals being sent to public hospitals for treatment following the closure of the prison hospital and as the government’s tougher new bail laws see more offenders locked up.
A government spokesperson said an influx in prisoners following the roll out of the new laws had increased the demand for hospital beds.
“Because of the increase in demand, we’ll add to our sub acute health service bed count by keeping some of those beds at St John’s Ward open beyond Port Phillip’s closure at the end of the year,” she said.
“This will ensure that prisoners with specific health needs continue to be treated in health facilities that are appropriate and not in public hospitals as Victoria’s prison population expands in response to our toughened bail reforms.”
The $1.1bn Western Plains facility, which is due to open in the coming months, will accommodate 1200 inmates, including some of the state’s most dangerous criminals.
Despite the site remaining unoccupied for nearly two years, the state government has been spending approximately $35m annually on the upkeep and security of the facility.
Corrections Victoria will be responsible for maintaining the Port Phillip Prison site from January.
Subacute medical units are also expected to be opened and fully operational at the Metropolitan Remand Centre by the end of the year.
Shadow corrections minister David Southwick called on the government to explain how much it would cost taxpayers to plug the shortfall in hospital unit beds at the new Western Plains facility.
“It’s clear Labor was spooked by public backlash over dangerous prisoners being treated in public hospital wards,” he said.
“Only Labor could spend $1.1 billion on a new prison without ensuring that there would be enough beds to meet demand.”
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