Thursday, 26 May 2022

Contrast media shortage

Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (18:54): (1951) My adjournment matter this evening is for the attention of the Minister for Health, and it relates to the reports that have documented the shortages not only in Victoria but around Australia of contrast media to undertake imaging that is very vital for diagnoses but also treatments and during surgery. This is obviously an issue that is due to world supplies, and there have also been freight issues that have impacted on contrast media coming into the country. I understand that; it is not just confined to Victoria. There have been reports in other states that surgeries have been deferred. Obviously here in Victoria we have got such an extensive elective surgery waitlist—89 000 at last count—that anything like this is only going to put more impact on those Victorians who are waiting for this vital surgery, in many instances. Of course when hospitals and health services in Victoria are trying to source these products, the cost is going to go up if there is a shortage, and that will flow on to local hospitals and add to costs for them as well.

But the action I seek from the minister is to provide what advice he has had in relation to this shortage, what impact that will have on the number of people that are requiring treatments and surgeries and what impact it will have in terms of the deferral and the cancellation of elective surgeries or treatments. I think this is important to understand, so I would ask the minister to provide that advice to the house so that it can reassure Victorians as to the extent of this very serious issue around the shortage of contrast media.