Questions without notice and ministers statements
Elective surgery
Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:01): My question is to the Minister for Health. Melbourne lady Jeanne needs a knee replacement, but due to the blowout in elective surgery waiting lists she is yet to receive this vital procedure. Jeanne now cannot walk long distances and mostly relies on a walking frame; she is housebound and now totally reliant on her daughter-in-law to support her. Jeanne and her son Mitch are here in the Parliament today. Like many Victorians, she is a victim of the government’s blowout in elective surgery waiting times. What does the minister have to say to Jeanne, who now wants to know: will she ever get her vital surgery before she has a serious fall?
Mr FOLEY (Albert Park—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Equality) (14:02): Can I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Can I say to Jeanne and to any other Victorian who is on the waiting list for elective surgery that with the significantly more stable position that we have with COVID-19 numbers in this state, and indeed in this country as a result of the outstanding efforts that so many thousands of Victorians have made by particularly going forward and getting record numbers of vaccines, particularly third-dose boosters, we are now seeing an easing but far from removal of the COVID-19 threat, and a removal to the point where there are no longer restrictions—be it in either the private sector, which returned some time ago to full elective surgery lists, or indeed the public sector, where there is significant effort being put into both the delivery for existing and indeed the so far 80 000, by the most recent figures, Victorians who are on that category 2 or that category 3 list.
My message to all of those Victorians is that nobody wanted to see these restrictions in place for a moment longer than they were needed, and they were not in place for a moment longer than was recommended by our public health officials. Now, in partnership with the commonwealth, in partnership with the private sector and the public sector, we will go through a process of seeking to bring those waiting lists down in a sustainable, enduring way to make sure that all those Victorians, based on clinical need and clinical priority, have their issues for elective surgery dealt with as soon as is both clinically and practically safe and sustainable.
The SPEAKER: I just remind members on both sides that it is not the custom and practice in this place to refer to members in the gallery.
Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): Minister, Jeanne’s family are considering sending her to India to receive the medical and surgical treatment that she desperately needs. How is it acceptable that a family such as Jeanne’s is considering paying more than $25 000 and sending her to India to receive vital surgery that the Andrews government’s health system, sadly, cannot provide?
Mr FOLEY (Albert Park—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Minister for Equality) (14:05): Can I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. My understanding of the health system unfortunately does not extend to India, but in terms of whatever options individuals may seek to apply I would urge them to always take that advice as clinical priorities from those people they are getting their clinical information from—their surgeons, their doctors, their practitioners. In regard to particular arrangements, whether it be private in Victoria or indeed international or interstate, I know that for instance Victoria and indeed all the jurisdictions are working very closely with the commonwealth through the national partnership arrangement on private health partnerships through the course of the COVID-19 pandemic to deal precisely with these kinds of issues, which is why we have seen over 43 000 direct public patients in this space being dealt with in the private sector and I would urge— (Time expired)