Patients Suffer The Brunt Of Brumby’s Stubbornness

Victorian patients may have to wait even longer for their elective surgeries because of the Brumby Government’s failure to effectively negotiate with the Medical Scientists Association of Victoria, said Helen Shardey, Shadow Minister for Health.

Mrs Shardey met with representatives of the Medical Scientists Association of Victoria today to discuss the failure of the State Government to negotiate an agreement with vital hospital staff.

“It is unacceptable that the Brumby Government continues to play with the health and welfare of Victorian patients because of their stubborn approach to negotiating with our frontline hardworking health professionals,” said Mrs Shardey.

“Tomorrow, members will meet and vote on the level of strike action to be taken against the Brumby Government, which will cause elective surgeries to be cancelled state-wide.”

If the 2,500 strong association decides to take strike action, staffing will be limited in the following areas:

· Pathology for elective surgeries
· Perfusion for heart surgery
· Neuro-scientists for intensive care
· Psychologists for mental health patients
· Radiotherapy for cancer patients
· Blood transfusions will be restricted to emergencies only
· Pharmacists for medication distribution for patient discharge.

“The association has been attempting to negotiate their new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) with the government for the past five months and members are frustrated and angry that the negotiations have broken down,” said Mrs Shardey.

“Dedicated hardworking medical professionals who are needed to ensure Victorians receive the best possible medical treatment are being overlooked by the Brumby Government.

“There is a huge wage disparity between Victoria and other states – in some cases up to 20 per cent.

“We are losing valuable professionals to other states because this government cannot or will not negotiate with medical staff.

“This is a situation which has been repeated state-wide by Victorian nurses, mental health workers and allied health workers in the past couple of months, and which has crippled the Victorian health system.

“It is unfortunate Victorian patients have to bear the brunt of the Brumby Government’s stubbornness.

“Last week the Premier and the embattled Health Minister announced a ‘blitz’ on elective surgery waiting lists and resources to increase elective surgery capacity, yet they have both failed to realise the importance of medical scientific staff in this equation.

“The Government is sitting on an $842 million surplus and vital medical staff are being forced to walk out of hospitals and rally against a Premier who does not listen to the community.

“There are 38,109 patients waiting for surgery – it’s time the Brumby Government put the patients first,” said Mrs Shardey.

25 000 Patients Waiting — That’s A Big Minority

Health Minister Daniel Andrews has insulted thousands of Victorians who have waited years for surgery by dismissing almost 25,000 patients in the past year who were denied surgery within the appropriate time as a ‘minority’, Shadow Minister for Health Helen Shardey said today.

The statement was made as the Brumby Government announced underwhelming measures to reduce elective surgery wait-lists two days after Victoria was dudded on its proportion of federal health funding.

“This is just a band-aid solution to the problem, and does not provide a single additional bed. This money is not about planning for a long-term sustainable and viable public health system for future generations – it is money to cover up the State Labor Government’s history of failing Victorian patients”, Mrs Shardey said.

The Brumby Government numbers also don’t add up when compared to the federal announcement. While the Federal Government claims that its $34.2 million will treat 5,098 patients, equating to $6,708 per patient, the Brumby Government’s $15 million for elective surgery announced today will treat another 4,302 patients at $3,487 per patient.

The Brumby Government needs to clarify whether State Government funding is for a different category of patients than the Federal Government money, and how and by whom they will be treated.

“Why did it take John Brumby this long to act and why has he not done more? He has a projected budget surplus of $842 million at his disposal and all Victorians have been aware of the crisis in public hospitals for years.

“While John Brumby claims that this will “halve the number of long-wait patients in Victoria”, the question must be asked as to how many patients are waiting years for an out-patient appointment before they get on the elective surgery waiting list. These figures are not reported.

“Unfortunately it is clear the Labor party would not want to spoil a media stunt by telling Victorians the true state of the public health system,” Mrs Shardey said.

Patients Queue For Hours At Choked Emergency Departments

Thousands of patients are being forced to wait hours in the back of ambulances before being admitted into emergency departments, said Shadow Minister for Health, Helen Shardey.

Previously unreleased documents obtained under Freedom of Information from the Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS) found from 1 January to 31 July this year, more than 5,600 patients endured waits of 30 minutes or longer in ambulances outside hospitals.

“These documents identify the crisis in our health system and in particular the excessive amount of time ambulance patients are being forced to wait because of the dismissive attitude of the Brumby Government and its failure to fund and resource our hospitals adequately,” said Mrs Shardey.

“Nineteen patients were forced to wait more than two hours before being transferred into the emergency department, with another 542 patients waiting between one and two hours.

“Guidelines published by the Department of Human Services (DHS) state patients should be transferred from an ambulance to the emergency department within 15 minutes – yet another target they have failed to meet.

“Records from ambulance paramedics reveal 32,339 patients in seven months, or more than 150 patients each day, waited longer than the acceptable government guidelines.

“Patients are not only waiting for hours and hours once they enter the emergency department, but now patients are waiting hours before they even go through the doors.

“DHS guidelines state patients are ‘transferred’ if they are moved from an ambulance to a trolley, wheelchair or chair.

“These patients are not even guaranteed immediate medical attention after waiting hours in the back of an ambulance.

“These new figures only compound the existing hospital crisis, showing more than 70,000 Your Hospitals Report 2006/07 patients waited more than eight hours in the emergency department on a trolley before being admitted to a bed.

“Almost 144,000 patients spent more than four hours in the waiting room before being discharged.

“The FoI documents reveal during winter this year, a patient arriving at the Austin Hospital by ambulance was forced to wait more than two and a half hours in the back of the ambulance until almost midnight.

“In the first week of January this year, when temperatures peaked at almost 37°C, a mentally ill patient was left waiting for 2 hours 44 minutes before being transferred into the Royal Melbourne Hospital Mental Health Services in Grattan Street.

“These cases are not isolated incidents. Children have been left waiting two hours in ambulances at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

“Patients were also waiting more than two hours at Dandenong Hospital, Frankston Hospital, Monash Medical Centre, Northern Hospital and Rosebud Hospital.

“These delays are unacceptable and there is only so much the hardworking paramedics and medical staff can do with the limited resources they have.

“This government has had eight years to identify and address key crisis areas in our health system but instead they have dismissed their responsibility and have chosen to blame others.

“Minister Andrews can offer all the excuses he likes – but he cannot avoid the fact that under the Brumby Labor Government our public hospitals and ambulance services have spiraled into crisis.

“Coincidentally, as overcrowding continues and thousands of people wait in pain for treatment, the embattled Health Minster has hidden himself away.

“What will it take for this government to listen, stop dismissing this crisis and actually do something to save our hospitals?” said Mrs Shardey.
How long did patients wait?
No. of patients waiting more than the Government benchmark

Victoria-Wide
· Total Cases 109,011
· ≥ 2 hours 19
· < 2 hours ≤ 1 hour 542
· < 1 hour ≤ 30 minutes 5,088
· < 30 minutes ≤ 15 minutes 32,136
· < 15 minutes 71,226

Hospital Breakdown – patients waiting more than benchmarked time:
Hospital VACIS recorded arrivals Complete records only Number patients waiting ≥ 15 mins Percentage of patient transfers ≥ 15 minutes
Alfred 8,606 2,882 33.5%
Angliss 2,574 316 12.3%
Austin 8,916 3,559 39.9%
Box Hill 7,104 1,908 26.9%
Broadmeadows 118 9 7.6%
Bundoora Extended Care 12 - 0%
Calvary Bethlehem 7 2 28.6%
Casey Hospital 2,853 606 21.2%
Caulfield General 28 3 10.7%
Cranbourne Intensive Care 2 - 0%
Dandenong 7,461 2,709 36.3%
Djerriwarrh 170 12 7.1%
Frankston 9,139 4,641 50.8%
Heidelberg Repatriation 38 3 7.9%
Kingston Centre 37 4 10.8%
Maroondah 6,494 2,105 32.4%
Mercy for Women 277 15 5.4%
Mercy Werribee 2,170 290 13.4%
Monash Medical Centre 10,047 4,638 46.2%
Mt Eliza Aged Care 3 - 0%
Northern 7,054 1,947 27.6%
Peter James Centre 43 2 4.7%
Peter MacCallum 42 14 33.3%
Rosebud 1,689 170 10.1%
Royal Children’s (Other) 8 - 0%
Royal Children’s (Parkville) 2,654 228 8.6%
Royal Dental 13 4 30.8%
Royal Melbourne (Mental Health) 167 32 19.2%
Royal Melbourne (Grattan St) 9,721 2,537 26.1%
Royal Melbourne (Royal Park) 167 44 26.4%
Royal Talbot Rehab 1 1 100%
Royal Vic Eye & Ear 113 5 4.4%
Royal Women’s 677 55 8.1%
Sandringham 1,361 203 14.9%
St Vincent’s 6,355 1,363 21.5%
Sunshine Hospital 5,917 837 14.2%
Upton House Psychiatric 52 2 3.9%
Western 6,588 1,164 17.7%
Williamstown 325 27 8.3%
Yarra Ranges 7 2 28.6%
TOTAL 109,011 32,339 29.7%

Western Health’s Multi-Million Dollar Losses

Losses at Western Health are more extensive than first thought and the Health Minister Daniel Andrews continues to fail to reveal the full extent of potential future losses.

“The annual report released last week revealed Western Health, which includes Western, Williamstown and Sunshine hospitals, recorded a $10.7 million deficit, a significant loss from a $5 million surplus in 2005/06,” said Helen Shardey, Shadow Health Minister.

“A $2 million loss by Western Health in the subprime crisis was also revealed, on which the Auditor-General signed off on 17 August 2007, adding further pressure to precious hospitals resource.

“The $2 million was lost in just six weeks between 30 July and 9 August.

“It is unclear what has happened since 9 August and how much money has been lost from the $8 million investment.

“However, when questioned in Parliament about the extent of further losses, the Health Minister refused to answer questions about losses sustained by Western Health in secret high risk offshore market speculation.

“The Health Minister would have been aware of this substantial loss, yet refused to answer questions about potential future losses.

“At Western Hospital two operating theatres and 56 ward beds were closed as a result of budget cuts – the hospital has 1,253 patients on surgery waiting lists and the highest urgent surgery waiting list ever recorded.

“Last year, 4,923 patients waited more than eight hours on trolleys in the emergency department at Western Hospital.

“The gynecology unit at Williamstown has closed and budget cuts are also occurring in obstetrics, paediatrics, ear, nose and throat, stroke, heart and asthma services.

“The lost millions could have been used to re-open beds and operating theatres, however the Labor Government has decided to gamble with patients’ lives.

“The Brumby Government and the Health Minister must be held accountable for funds lost on the high risk offshore subprime market. This is money which could have been used to pay for resources and staff across the already stretched Western Health system, but instead the government chose to stake it on high risk, secret investments.

“The Victorian Government currently provides the lowest level of per capita funding to public hospitals, it spends the least per head of population on hospitals and has the fewest number of beds per head compared to all the other state and territories, yet it is willing to gamble with hospital funds,” said Mrs Shardey.

Health System Losing Money

Hospital annual reports confirm a health system in crisis with millions of dollars lost statewide, said Helen Shardey, Shadow Minister for Health.

“Our public hospitals are hemorrhaging cash and the state government continues to dismiss this crisis,” said Mrs Shardey.

“Statewide, the financial situation is bleak in our hospital systems.”

The five worst hospitals in deficit are:

· The Austin - $12 million in deficit

· Western Health - $10.7 million in deficit

· Melbourne Hospital - $10.7 million in deficit

· Royal Women’s Hospital - $6.9 million in deficit

· Southern Health - $6.6 million in deficit

“Bed shortages, long waiting lists and overcrowded emergency departments have been neglected by the Premier – this is a situation he can no longer ignore.

“The Victorian Government provides the lowest level of per capita funding to public hospitals; it spends the least per head of population on hospitals and has the fewest number of beds per head compared to all the other state and territories.

“It is clear our public hospitals are not just in crisis – they are in chaos.

“Today, the state government decided to dump 137 annual reports for analysis in an attempt to cover up the hospital hemorrhaging cash crisis.

“These annual reports are proof of the years of mismanagement by the state government and the failure of the embattled health minister.

“The pressure is on the state government to fix this problem.

“Hospital funding from the Department of Human Services in grants and payments has only gone up five per cent, which is only just above the health CPI.

“Adding to the funding crisis, the number of patients has increased by 3.4 per cent in that same period.

“It is clear the state government is not keeping up with demand.

“This is a state government with a budget surplus of over $1 billion that refuses to adequately fund our hospitals.

“The quality of patient care, despite the hard work of our doctors and nurses, is going to be affected.

“This is why we have 38,109 people waiting in pain on elective surgery lists, this is why 50,000 people walk out of emergency departments without being treated, and this why 70,000 patients wait for more than eight hours on trolleys, before being admitted.

“It’s appalling that a state government with such a large surplus is failing to fund our hospitals,” said Mrs Shardey.

Children’s Lives Put At Risk

The Brumby Government needs to re-introduce lower target times for ambulances attending children with severe allergic reactions said Helen Shardey, Shadow Minister for Health.

“Children who suffer life-threatening allergic reactions are on the rise and it is imperative all child care centres, kindergartens and schools establish an anaphylaxis management plan.

“What is unclear at this stage is whether it is compulsory for every school and children’s service to have an anaphylactic plan and staff training, or only those where children who suffer such reactions attend.

“This could potentially emerge as a problem given that many children change school, kinder or child care centre during any given year.

“I welcome the Premier’s announcement yesterday addressing children suffering severe allergic reactions; however I am concerned that recent events of ambulance breakdowns and mechanical problems will put the lives of children at risk.

“The Premier needs to also address the issue of ambulance response times.

“For five years the state government has failed to meet the 13 minute Code 1 response time.

“While it is vital to have trained people and an anaphylaxis plan to ensure children with an allergy risk can receive urgent treatment, it is equally as important that an ambulance be called immediately as a ‘PRIORITY ZERO’.

“This is the most urgent call out to get a child to hospital as soon as possible.

“I call on the Brumby Government to re-introduce the 13 minute target for Code 1 to ensure children who have a life-threatening allergic reaction can be assessed as to the cardiac effect of the Epi-pen and receive further urgent treatment in hospital.

“Instead of adding more resources to the ambulance service, the state government disgracefully increased the time of the target and lowered the standard to 15 minutes.

“This is too long and unacceptable for people in urgent need, especially children suffering allergic reactions,” said Mrs Shardey.

AMA Refutes Brumby’s Claim Of “The Best Hospital System”

Premier Brumby’s claim Victoria runs one of the best hospital systems in Australia has been demolished by the Australian Medical Association (AMA), said Helen Shardey, Shadow Minister for Health.

The Public Hospital Report Card 2007 released by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) last week revealed that under the Brumby Labor Government, per capita funding of Victorian hospitals on a national basis has fallen to the lowest level ever.

In response to the report, Mr Brumby said, “If you ask people, again, if you ask the AMA which state runs the best hospital system in Australia, the answer they’ll give you is Victoria”. ABC News Online, Vic Premier defends hospital spending, Thursday 25 October 2007

But the AMA said:

“The bottom line is that Victorian public hospitals have the lowest per capita funding levels in the country. This means that our public hospitals are under real pressure every day.” AMA Media Release 25 October 2007

AMA Media Release 25 October 2007Mr Brumby said “If you ask people, again, if you ask the AMA which state runs the best hospital system in Australia, the answer they’ll give you is Victoria”.

But the AMA said:

“We’re getting to a point where, if the Government wants more and more people to be treated, we don’t have any room for further efficiencies.” The Age, 31 May 2007

The Age, 31 May 2007Mr Brumby said “If you ask people, again, if you ask the AMA which state runs the best hospital system in Australia, the answer they’ll give you is Victoria”.

But the AMA said:

Hospitals lacked the resources to cope with demand.

“(Patients) wait half an hour, one hour, two hours, and they walk out. What we need is a commitment from the Government to understand the fact we don’t have enough capacity in the system.” Herald Sun, 23 August 2007

Herald Sun, 23 August 2007Mr Brumby said “If you ask people, again, if you ask the AMA which state runs the best hospital system in Australia, the answer they’ll give you is Victoria”.

But the AMA said:

State government benchmarks allow for 264,700 Victorians to receive clinically inappropriate care in Victorian public hospitals.

The Your Hospitals report reveals state benchmarks are well below clinically appropriate care for hospital waiting periods.

“Current government standards say it is perfectly reasonable for one in five people not to be seen within a clinically appropriate time,” he said. AMA Media Release 7 October 2007

he said. AMA Media Release 7 October 2007Mr Brumby said “If you ask people, again, if you ask the AMA which state runs the best hospital system in Australia, the answer they’ll give you is Victoria.”

But the AMA said:

The state government’s Your Hospitals report reveals 3,000 fewer elective surgery operations were performed in 2006/07 than the previous year. Non-urgent elective surgery in January to June 2007 dropped 15 per cent from the previous year.

“The government continues to cut elective surgery; is it because the Minister believes that some elective surgery does not matter?” AMA Media Release 11 October 2007 AMA Media Release 11 October 2007 “Premier Brumby has been dismissive of the crisis in our health system and his contradictory opinion to the AMA’s shows how out of touch he really is,” said Mrs Shardey.

“If you ask the 38,109 patients waiting in pain on the elective surgery lists and the thousands who wait hours each year in emergency departments for treatment – I think they would say Victoria has an inefficient system failing to cope with the increased pressure.”

Source: The State of Our Public Hospitals, 2004 Report and 2007 Report: State and Territory Government recurrent expenditure per person, weighted population.05

Victoria Lowest National Hospital Funding: Report Reveals

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

Brumby’s Failure To Negotiate Caused Chaos In Hospitals

The Premier’s failure to negotiate with the Nurses Federation caused the dispute to drag on for nine days, causing increased suffering to thousands of Victorians waiting in pain, said Helen Shardey, Shadow Minister for Health.

“We are pleased an agreement has been reached, however Victorians have suffered through nine days of protracted confrontation because John Brumby stubbornly refused to negotiate earlier with the nurses,” said Mrs Shardey.

“This dispute should never have happened – the Brumby Government is entirely responsible for the hundreds of patients who had their surgery cancelled.

“The dismissive attitude by the Premier has contributed to the crisis in our health system.

“The Premier claims we have the most efficient hospital system – I think the 38,109 patients on the waiting list would disagree with him.

“Our hospitals are crippled by lack of state funding which has fallen to less than any other state or territory in the past five years.

“Bed shortages are the lowest per capita across Australia and the number of bureaucrats is only increasing.

“These factors are putting enormous pressure on our doctors and nurses trying to cope in a system which is absolutely in crisis.

“This week, Victorian hospitals were pushed beyond capacity, with several forced onto bypass and hundreds of patients left stranded and waiting hours in emergency rooms.

“The Premier should hang his head in shame for letting this latest crisis get this far.

“Our hard working nurses should not be intimidated by management and threatened with fines and pay docking.

“Patients deserve to feel neglected, frustrated and angry and responsibility for this crisis lies with the bullying Premier and his embattled junior health minister,” said Mrs Shardey.

Rural Ambulance — A Tragedy Waiting To Happen

A lack of staff has forced Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV) employees to work excessively long hours and abandon on-road duties to man an operations centre, which is putting the health of both patients and employees at risk, said Helen Shardey, Shadow Minister for Health.

Leaked Systems Improvement Process Notices show a system in crisis, with RAV management informed only 50 per cent of normal operating vehicles were available last Saturday night, placing undue stress on staff.

“Despite assurances from RAV’s CEO Jon Holloway that the Board and Senior Executive Team are fully committed to a healthy, safe and supportive workplace CEO Bulletin, Issue 5, 11 October 2007, staff feel their health is being compromised and concerns are being ignored,” said Helen Shardey.

“Last weekend Ballarat paramedics claimed staff shortages forced the ambulance service to turn away patients on Saturday night.

“We have been told of one staff member who has worked eight 14 hour shifts in a row and we believe this has happened on more than one occasion.

“Victorians living in the country deserve an ambulance service which is not plagued by internal issues.

“The Brumby Government has consistently failed to oversee this vital service.

“Currently there are 50 vacancies in RAV, the majority of these are for on-road ambulance paramedics.

“The embattled health minister has demonstrated a blatant lack of concern for the safety of RAV employees,” said Mrs Shardey.

Steve McGhie, Secretary of the Ambulance Employees Union, has said that Ballarat is so under-resourced that regional areas are being left unattended because paramedics are being taken off the road to man the Operations Centre.

“When will the health minister take responsibility for a substandard ambulance service which is failing to meet the needs of country Victorians?” said Mrs Shardey.