Rural Victoria’s concerns in face of state government health revamp

Rural healthcare services will be united into local networks by mid-2025. But the move has raised concerns from those living in remote and rural parts of the state.

A plan to unify regional Victoria’s hospitals and healthcare services into distinct local networks has raised concerns rural Victorians will be forced to travel further for hospital care.

It follows multiple calls throughout 2024 for remote and rural hospital services to be fully funded, with some facilities directed to make major budgetary cuts.

Late last week the state government announced Victoria’s health services will be allocated into 12 local networks: Barwon, Bayside, East Metro and Murrindindi, Gippsland, Grampians, Hume, Loddon Mallee, North Metro and Mitchell, Parkville, South Metro, South West, and West Metro.

The local networks are part of a broader state government health services plan, with the geographic groups to be responsible for planning and management of care of the network’s population.

In a statement, health minister Mary-Ann Thomas said the decision would expand access to frontline services “particularly in regional and rural Victoria”.

But Mildura MP Jade Benham said the logistics of geography in the state’s north made grouping health services into networks a concern, and said the focus should be on funding existing services.

Mildura Base Public Hospital will fall under the Loddon Mallee local network, which encompasses 14 health services including Swan Hill District Health and Bendigo Health.

Victoria’s healthcare resources will be divided and grouped in 12 local health networks as of July 2025. Photo: Steve Pohlner

“Our concern is obviously geographically it is so much harder for us and patients to flow to Bendigo, which is why the Mallee sub-network is so important,” Ms Benham said.

“Patients still in need of complex care will still flow to The Alfred.

“Let’s just get back to basics and deliver what is the government’s remit to deliver, and that’s a public healthcare system, whether it’s metro Melbourne or here in Mildura.”

Sunraysia Community Health chief executive Darren Midgley said place-based health services was of paramount importance for regional and rural health outcomes.

Sunraysia Community Health is one of 24 independent community health services in Victoria, offering more than 100 services from its Mildura base.

“There’s a direct correlation between distance and health outcomes (in regional Australia) when compared to major cities,” Mr Midgley said.

“ … and that’s where community health shines, because we’re place-based.”

Mr Midgley said as the cost of delivering world-class healthcare becomes more expensive, local resources were increasingly important for regional health outcomes.

“Mildura, for example, is 550km from Melbourne. The nearest major hospital is Bendigo, which is four hours away, and there’s no flight to Bendigo. For an older person it’s easier to get to Melbourne than Bendigo.”

The network groupings will be effective July 2025, following consultation activities.