The Andrews Labor Government has taken the scalpel to Victoria’s 28 Primary Care Partnerships as Labor’s health funding cuts continue to be exposed.
After questioning from the Liberal Nationals in State Parliament today, the Minister for Health all but confirmed that funding for Primary Care Partnerships has been abolished which will leave many ongoing community programs at a standstill.
Minister Mikakos stated Primary Care Partnerships were not her priority and health funding is not about the networks.
Primary Care Partnerships bring together local health and human service providers to improve access to services and provide continuity of care for people in their community.
Victoria’s 28 PCPs involve approximately 600 organisations, including hospitals, community health services, Primary Health Networks, local governments, mental health services, drug treatment services and disability services.
As an example, the Outer East Health and Community Support Alliance, based in Ringwood, have focused on access to nutritious food, alcohol misuse and prevention of violence against women, the South Coast Primary Care Partnership, based in Wonthaggi, have a campaign to promote drinking water to youths instead of sugary drinks while the Central Highlands Primary Care Partnership, based in Ballarat, has focused on Type 2 diabetes & cardiovascular disease prevention.
Since the 2018 election, Victorians have endured Labor’s funding cuts to dental and community health, funding shortfalls for hospital upgrades, zero infrastructure dollars for ten Community Hospitals, State Government funding uncertainty for flu shots for kids, cuts to admitted acute care for four major hospital networks, cuts to women’s health, cuts to some palliative care services, cuts to health protection and cuts to cancer treatment technology.
Comments attributable to the Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier:
“Health prevention is often the first step to tackling some of Victoria’s serious health challenges, yet Daniel Andrews has decided to cut funding to this crucial area of need.
“Primary Care Partnerships have played an important role in Victoria’s health network for two decades, yet these latest cuts are another example of Daniel Andrews inability to manage money.
“Victorians should be deeply concerned with Daniel Andrews’ continued funding attacks on our health system which may put lives at risk.”