The Public Hospital Report Card 2007 released by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) today reveals per capita funding of Victorian hospitals on a national basis has fallen to the lowest ever level under the Brumby Labor Government, said Helen Shardey, Shadow Minister for Health. “In 1999-2000, the Victorian Government provided the fifth highest level of per capita funding to public hospitals – now the Brumby Government provides the lowest,” said Mrs Shardey.”Our hospital system has been deteriorating for years under the Brumby Government and is now at crisis point. Today’s report confirms despite the Brumby Government’s claims of

increasing total hospital funding, in fact the Victorian Government has done less than every other state or territory.”Victorian patients are being put at risk because John Brumby and the embattled health minister consistently refuse to take responsibility for our public hospitals. “The Brumby Government has failed to fund our hospital system adequately and has chosen the easier option of blaming everyone else for the crisis.

“Year after year they have been dismissive of nurses, doctors and ambulance paramedics who have spoken about the under-resourced and under-funded health care in Victoria. “John Brumby is more interested in avoiding responsibility than providing good health care – and Victorian patients are suffering as a result.

The AMA report also reveals Victorians have access to the fewest number of beds per capita of any state or territory and the entire public hospital system is running “dangerously close to 100 per cent capacity”. While Western Australia has increased per capita funding by more than 115 per cent and Tasmania has increased funding by 150 per cent, the Brumby Labor Government has increased funding by less than any other state or territory, at just 57 per cent.

“The Premier needs to stop boasting and bullying, and give our hospitals and nurses the resources they need and deserve,” said Mrs Shardey.

Source: The State of Our Public Hospitals, 2004 Report and 2007 Report: State and Territory Government recurrent expenditure per person, weighted population.0