Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Health Minister Jill Hennessy toured East Grampians Health Service’s multimillion-dollar redevelopment at Ararat’s hospital on Friday.
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Mr Andrews used his tour of the Grampians region to explain why he pulled out of a health funding deal with the federal government, claiming that it would leave Ararat worse off.
Mr Andrews said the new $4.1 million project at EGHS would provide a new one-stop shop health and community services hub at the Ararat Hospital with support from the state government’s Regional Health Infrastructure Fund.
“We promised to build a world-class community health centre for Ararat and we’re getting it done. This will mean better, faster care all under the one roof,” he said.
The expanded community health centre building will include new consulting rooms for maternal and child health nurses, more community meeting rooms and a bigger toy library.
An expanded waiting area, a new reception and a new front entry is also planned.
During a visit to Stawell Regional Health, Mr Andrews said he would not sign up to a new health funding deal with the federal government under its current terms, saying it did not pass “important tests”.
“We are all about funding health properly. Sadly, many of you have learnt that I did not sign up to the commonwealth health agreement that was put before us a few weeks ago at the Council of Australian Governments meeting,” he said.
Mr Andrews said he could not support a deal that placed limits on how much the federal government would contribute.
“The deal is supposed to be a partnership where we do 50 per cent and the commonwealth does 50 per cent; that’s not what’s being offered. The Commonwealth would do 45 per cent and they would cap the total amount of investment that would put in whereas out contribution would be more than half and it would be uncapped.
“I think everyone in this room knows that you can’t cap health funding; if someone is here and needs urgent care you can’t say ‘well, we’ve reached the cap, just come back next quarter.”
Mr Andrews claimed Ararat hospital and East Grampians Health Service would be “dudded” by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and $4.1 million worse off over five years from 2020 as part of the offer.
Figures from Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy’s office claimed that the Grampians Region would suffer the equivalent of 320 fewer doctors, 762 fewer nurses and 15,348 fewer elective surgeries.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt had previously said Mr Andrews had made “false claims” over Victoria losing out in a new health deal.
“It’s incredibly disappointing to see Daniel Andrews trying to scaremonger vulnerable cancer patients. It’s a pretty low act,” Mr Hunt said,
The Andrews Government is not only lying but has no shame.
The truth is that commonwealth funding for Victorian hospitals is increasing to record levels every year.
“Funding is growing from $3.26 billion under the previous Labor Government to more than $5.7 billion under the Coalition in 2020-21.”
At the site of Ararat hospital’s new community health centre, EGHS board member Nancy Panter said.
“Premier, thank you very much on behalf of East Grampians Health Service and and the people of our community,” she said.
“We have created jobs, we have created training opportunities and we are a very proud training hospital.”