In the next step of the Liberals and Nationals’ plan to fix Victoria’s deepening healthcare crisis, a Matthew Guy Liberals and Nationals Government will today announce its fourth major healthcare commitment; a West Gippsland Hospital to alleviate the strain on the broken system.
The existing facility at West Gippsland Hospital is outdated and no longer meets the needs of a growing community, and that’s why a Matthew Guy Liberals and Nationals Government will build a new hospital in Warragul.
The fourth recently announced new and modern hospital will deliver the services patients expect and the facilities healthcare workers deserve.
The Liberals and Nationals have committed to deliver more than $2.5 billion in new hospitals in its plan to provide Victorians with better healthcare, which includes commitments to build hospitals in Mildura, Melton and a new Infectious Diseases Response Centre.
Leader of the Opposition, Matthew Guy, said years of underinvestment had forced emergency departments to turn away patients, caused surgery wait times to blow out and left Victorians in need waiting hours for an ambulance.
“The pandemic has exposed what years of neglect and underinvestment by Labor has done to our state’s health system,” Mr Guy said.
“The system simply cannot cope, and Victorians have died waiting for urgent care.
“Building new hospitals in Warragul, Melton and Mildura will ensure that regional Victorians get the quality healthcare they deserve, close to home and when they need it.”
Chronic staff shortages continue to cripple the system, and that’s why the $750 million Mildura Hospital will have a strong focus on research and training, which will attract and retain medical staff in the Mallee by improving the capacity to train doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff locally.
Furthermore, the Liberals and Nationals committed $400 million to build a new Infectious Diseases Response Centre, which will deliver 50 permanent negative pressure beds and train an additional 300 specialist nurses to be able to deliver care and treat the sick without locking up the healthy.
And while the system breaks and Victorians suffer, the Andrews Labor Government arrogantly spruiked a health budget con, with figures confirming actual health expenditure was cut by more than $2 billion.
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, said Labor’s failure to properly invest in our health system continues to hold the state back from recovering and rebuilding.
“Victorians deserve so much better than an arrogant Labor Government that blames others for the crisis it has created,” Ms Crozier said.
“A Matthew Guy Liberals and Nationals Government is investing in our health system, not cutting it.”
Matthew Guy MP Georgie Crozier MP
Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister for Health