Tuesday, 2 August 2022

 Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:01): My question is to the Minister for Health. At two days of age Amelia had her first open-heart surgery and her parents were told she would require further surgery within months. Amelia was scheduled for surgery on 17 July, but the day before it was cancelled due to a lack of intensive care beds. Rescheduled for 25 July and having gone through extensive pre-op preparation, an hour prior to surgery it was cancelled again. This young girl’s serious health condition is deteriorating. What does the minister have to say to Amelia’s parents, who are devastated with having to watch their young daughter’s health deteriorate to such an extent that she will become so sick that the only way to get vital surgery is for it to become emergency surgery, when her life is then at risk?

 Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:02): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Can I begin by acknowledging how challenging this is for Amelia and her family at this time. Every parent knows how hard it is to see a child that is sick or in pain and in need of health care. But what I want to assure Amelia’s parents, and indeed all Victorians, is that decisions about planned surgery are being made and managed every single day in our health system with the care of all patients in mind at all times. I also want to make this point: right now in Victoria—indeed right around our nation and across the globe—health services have been incredibly impacted by the COVID pandemic. Winters are always hard in the health system, but on top of that this year we have had to manage another wave of the coronavirus, and where that has the most significant impact is on the staff that are available on any given day to provide the care that is needed. We know that on any day between 1500 and 2000 of our hardworking healthcare workers are furloughed because they have COVID, and this of course does not take into account the many healthcare workers who are at home on carers leave or sick or on other planned or unplanned leave. This is what is having an impact. Again, I want to assure Amelia’s parents that our government absolutely understands their concern and their worry at this time. But I also want to assure her parents that we have one of the best health services here in Victoria, and when it comes to the care of children, here in Victoria we are acknowledged globally for being world leaders.

We know that these challenges are real and that they are being experienced every day. That is why our government has a $12 billion pandemic repair plan, and we are implementing that plan now. We know that it is healthcare workers that will help get our system back on track. That is why we have got a plan to train and recruit an additional 7000 healthcare workers. That is why in the past two years we have employed 8500 additional healthcare workers. Only a couple of weeks ago, the Premier and I were out announcing some further initiatives that are focused on driving down the demand in our system and ensuring that children like Amelia and indeed all of those on waiting lists can get the care that they need and deserve.

 Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:05): I do thank the minister for her answer but note that Amelia’s surgery has twice been cancelled due to a lack of intensive care beds, so I ask the minister: when will the 4000 intensive care beds that the Premier promised in April 2020 actually be delivered?

 Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:05): I thank the member for his supplementary question, and I make this point: it is not a bed that cares for children, it is nurses, doctors and clinicians. Right now more than 1500 hardworking healthcare workers are at home, furloughed with COVID, so we expect as we see the virus plateau and then trend down that we will see more healthcare workers back in the system.

Once again I want to assure Amelia’s parents that every child and every person on our planned surgery list is being actively managed by the healthcare service. Amelia’s parents can expect to be contacted by the healthcare service, and they will support her and her family through this really difficult time.