Health system
Nicole WERNER (Warrandyte) (14:25): My question is to the Minister for Health. Krystle, a young woman who presented to Northern Hospital emergency department with acute abdominal pain, spent hours in the overcrowded waiting room doubled over in pain before seeing a doctor for the first time 4 hours later. An internal ultrasound was finally ordered, but the delay meant there was no sonographer or technician available until the next day. She was eventually diagnosed with a burst ovarian cyst. Minister, why is Victoria’s busiest emergency department unable to deliver timely and urgent care such as an ultrasound to women in extreme pain?
Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:25): I thank the member for Warrandyte for her question. As is my practice in this place, when it comes to individual patients and the care that they are receiving, I am very happy to follow up the actual circumstances regarding Krystle’s care if the member is happy to share her details with me, and I will ensure that she gets a response.
Of course how our emergency departments work is that patients are triaged on arrival. Here in Victoria we still maintain a position where all category 1 patients on arrival at emergency are seen immediately, and the triage decision is made not by politicians but by clinicians. People are then seen according to their need as it is determined. I am aware of course that our emergency departments have been under sustained pressure, and we know why. We have talked about it in this place many, many times: the consequences of the COVID pandemic that are being experienced here in Victoria and in every jurisdiction around the world. I note the opposition again laughing every time I talk about the COVID pandemic, and when they do that it is a slap in the face to our healthcare workers who worked through the pandemic.
Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, on relevance, this is about a woman in pain with a burst ovarian cyst. I would ask you to ask the minister to come back to the narrow question.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant to the question.
Mary-Anne THOMAS: Because of this incredible pressure that is being experienced in emergency departments here in Victoria as well as emergency departments all around the nation, our government has invested in a whole range of initiatives to support our frontline healthcare workers.
Members interjecting.
Mary-Anne THOMAS: I am going to take up an interjection over here, because I hear that apparently it has not worked. That person was obviously not listening when I explained that those presenting with category 1 are seen immediately. What is more, we are seeing that time to treatment continues to improve. Currently the median time is 14 minutes, which is 6 minutes faster than it was prior to the pandemic. None of this is to take away from the experience of Krystle, but as I have said to the member, if she provides me with details, I will follow up for her.
Nicole WERNER (Warrandyte) (14:28): Given the government continues to fail to meet its own targets for the treatment of emergency patients within the clinically recommended time, how can Victorians have any confidence the health system will not continue to decline under your watch?
Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:29): The member is wrong in her assumptions when she says failing to meet targets, because as I have just explained, category 1s are all seen immediately, and that is a figure that we are very, very proud of. Those are the people that require emergency care. A number of the initiatives that we have implemented, including our urgent care clinics and the virtual emergency department, have ensured that category 4 and category 5 patients have alternative pathways, and this in turn is working to reduce the demand on our emergency departments. I am very proud of the investments that we have made, and I reiterate that our government is investing $31 billion into our hospitals this year alone. Unlike those on the other side, who cut, close and privatise, our government has a proud history of building and opening hospitals in this state.