Heywood Rural Health and Portland District Health will lose more than $41 million over the next ten years as a result of the Abbott Government’s cuts to health.
The Abbott Government has walked away from key components of the National Health Reform Agreement, cutting the Commonwealth’s contributions to Victoria’s public hospitals from 1 July 2017 and removing funding guarantees.
As a result, Victoria stands to lose $13.6 billion over the next ten years, the equivalent of more than 2.3 million elective surgeries. $13.6 billion is also equivalent to more than 25 million dialysis sessions, or more than 11.6 million chemotherapy treatments.
Portland District Health will lose over $37 million with Heywood Rural Health set to lose just under $4.5 million.
The Abbott Government’s cuts comes on top of the $1 billion which was ripped out of health by the previous State Liberal Government, and means Victorians will wait even longer in emergency departments and on elective surgery waiting lists.
The Abbott Government has also cut funding from a number of key National Partnership Agreements, including:
- Almost $220 million ($219.4 million) over three years for the National
Partnership Agreement on Adult Public Dental Services - Up to $50 million in reward payments for emergency department and elective
surgery waiting list times, and $840 million over the next ten years to fund
new subacute beds, under the National Partnership Agreement on Improving Public Hospital Services - Up to $90 million for the National Partnership Agreement for Preventive
Health.
These cuts will have a significant impact on families in Portland and Heywood.
The Andrews Labor Government is working hard fix Victoria’s health system, to ensure Victorians can have timely access to quality healthcare.
Quotes attributable to Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP:
“Victorians are already waiting too long in emergency departments and for elective surgery, and these cuts will only make it worse.”
“Portland District Health and Heywood Rural Health are both fantastic hospitals and very important to their communities”.
“To rip $41 million away from these services will make it hard for them to continue do the amazing work they do to treat our loved ones.”