The government of the Australian state of Victoria’s massive health budget is not delivering a positive outcome for workers, the state’s peak doctors’ union says in its Victorian election statement ahead of the Nov. 26 poll.
The Victorian branch of the Australian Medical Association says healthcare staff burnout continues to remain unaddressed in the post-pandemic period.
AMA Victoria President Roderick McRae argued that the crisis has “built up over decades, across multiple administrations,” mainly due to the lack of “sophisticated, coordinated, long-term planning.” The approach has failed to recognise increasing demand and capacity constraints as systems stretched to cope, he wrote in a Victorian election statement of AMA, which has been sent to parties.
McRae also criticised the Labor government’s A$12 billion (US$7.69 billion) pandemic repair plan for not improving the bleak situation in the healthcare system.
“Today, the plight of general practice, indeed it’s business viability, remains dire,” McRae said.
The state’s peak body for doctors is proposing a new division within the Victorian health department to improve the communication between hospitals and general practitioners.
Major Parties Weigh In
The coalition has promised to invest $300 million in rebuilding the hospital if it gets elected, while the Labor government has it awaits the finalisation of a masterplan and funding agreement.Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, however, dismissed the AMA’s overall assessment.
“Our government has invested $150 billion in our health system since we came to office,” he said.
“I’m not accepting of that conclusion, and the facts tell a very different story.”
However, a Victorian government spokesperson told AAP it was already establishing a new specialised “chief GP adviser” position to embed more knowledge of the area in the health department.
It comes as Victoria’s pandemic declaration is set to relapse, with the state becoming the nation’s first to scrap mandatory COVID-19 isolation.
The pandemic declaration will end from 11.59 p.m. on Wednesday, and Victorians will no longer have to isolate after testing positive for the virus, with people instead strongly recommended to self-quarantine.
AAP contributed to this report.
