The AMA/ASMOF Victoria has welcomed the Carroll Labor Government’s commitment to invest $1.5 billion in emergency care but says tackling Victoria’s hospital crisis requires comprehensive reform across the entire health system and clear details about the provision of doctors.
The Government has announced plans to expand capacity across 12 Victorian emergency departments, including the addition of 250 beds and 1,500 health workers, with the stated aim of reducing emergency department waiting times by up to 20 per cent.
AMA Victoria President Dr Simon Judkins said investment in emergency care was urgently needed, with patients and hospital staff already experiencing unacceptable pressure.
“We welcome this significant commitment to increasing emergency department capacity and reducing the unacceptable delays many Victorian patients are currently experiencing.
“The fact is our emergency departments and the doctors and medical staff working in them are under enormous pressure, and this additional investment is urgently needed.
“But the reality is that emergency departments do not operate in isolation, and that doctors in emergency departments are already dealing with heavy workloads.
“The next Victorian Government must commit to reviewing the entire emergency healthcare pipeline and address the bottlenecks and resource shortages that are placing pressure on patients and staff at every stage.
“That means ensuring ambulances can transfer patients into hospital quickly, emergency departments can move patients into appropriate hospital beds, intensive care has sufficient capacity, and patients who have finished their acute care can move safely into rehabilitation, aged care or appropriate support in the community.
“We already have hospital wards containing patients who cannot be discharged because the next stage of care simply isn’t available.
“Unless we address those pressures across the entire system, patients will continue to face delays and our emergency medical staff will continue to struggle with fatigue, unsustainable working hours and the threat to patient safety.”
ASMOF Victoria President Dr Roderick McRae said the announcement comes amid recent stopgap agreements due to stalled enterprise bargaining, with remuneration for senior medical staff, including emergency specialists, continuing to fall in real terms.
“New beds and expanded facilities are welcome, but they, in of themselves, cannot provide healthcare without the doctors and medical staff needed to operate them.
“Victoria continues to face systemic medical understaffing, which places enormous pressure on existing doctors and limits the capacity of our health system to provide the care patients need.
“We cannot sustainably increase hospital capacity while doctors are working excessive hours, experiencing serious fatigue and being asked to continually do more because there simply are not enough medical staff.
“To attract and retain the doctors Victoria needs, we must provide competitive pay and conditions and make Victoria a place where doctors want to build their careers and that means delivering an enterprise bargaining agreement that lays down a strong foundation for future growth.
“If we do not address the medical workforce shortage, new beds and facilities will continue sitting underutilised while existing doctors continue to work under unsustainable pressure.”
Dr Judkins said AMA Victoria wanted all parties contesting the State election to set out comprehensive plans for the long-term reform of Victoria’s health system.
“This announcement is an important investment in emergency care, but Victoria needs a health system strategy that follows the patient through their entire journey.
“With demand continuing to grow and our population ageing, the next Victorian Government must invest in the hospital capacity, workforce and community services required to deliver safe, timely and sustainable healthcare for Victorians.”
“We call on all political parties contesting the Victorian election to clearly lay out their plans for reforming and rebuilding the Victorian healthcare system.”
