By Callan Date
A LOCAL MP has slammed the State Government for failing to adequately resource Casey Hospital.
South East Metropolitan MP Gordon Rich-Phillips has expressed his concern over several issues, including what he says is an ever-increasing waiting list for elective and emergency surgery.
Mr Rich-Phillips said Casey Hospital was lauded as the saviour of the health system in the south-east when it first opened three years ago.
However, the Kangan Drive facility is now facing similar problems to other public hospitals in the area, he said.
“It is extremely disappointing to see a brand new hospital go into decline in this manner, due to lack of funding,” he said.
“This hospital has only been open for three years and already it fails to meet one of the government’s own critical benchmarks,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.
The MP was referring to statistic recently released in the State Government’s Your Hospitals report – in particular the number of semi-urgent patients being treated within 90 days dropping to 66 per cent. The government’s own benchmark is 80 per cent.
“The Brumby Government should be able to hold the Casey Hospital up as a shining example of what it can do – instead we have a facility that not only has a failing emergency department, but also fails to meet the national standards for semi-urgent elective surgery patients in the appropriate time frame,” he said.
Health Minister Daniel Andrews defended Casey Hospital, which is run by Southern Health, and its ability to cope with the influx of patients.
He said the Your Hospitals document showed more than 19,000 patients were seen at the Casey Hospital emergency department in the six months to the end of June – up 11 per cent on the same time last year.
“There’s always more to do, which is why the Brumby Government will continue to invest to treat more patients and provide better care. This Government has increased its spending on our hospitals by $3.285 billion, or 96 per cent, since 1999,” Mr Andrews said.
Southern Health executive director of acute services Siva Sivarajah said Casey Hospital has seen a significant increase in Emergency Department patients since it opened in 2004.
“Both Casey Hospital and Dandenong Hospital treated 100 per cent of category 1 urgent elective surgery patients within 30 days in the six months to the end of June 2007,” he said.
“All Southern Health sites comply with the agreed Australian Nurses Federation staff-to-patient ratios.”
But Mr Rich-Phillips believes more should be done.
“I do not believe the Brumby Government can continue to deny that the health care system in the south east is in crisis.
“This government has been in office for eight years and has had long enough to stamp its mark on our hospital system,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.
>>> Have you had to wait longer than expected for treatment at Casey Hospital? Do you think Casey Hospital is servicing the growing population of the area adequately? Send us your opinion at editor@starnewsgroup.com.au
