Thursday, 18 May 2023

Eastern Victoria Region health infrastructure

Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (15:54): (238) My adjournment is to the Treasurer, and the action that I seek is that in the upcoming budget he does not neglect the critical healthcare infrastructure needed in the Eastern Victoria Region, in particular the promises made to the West Gippsland Hospital and the Wonthaggi Hospital. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare rural and remote health report shows that people in rural and remote areas are more likely to be diagnosed with low survival rates. According to the Pancare Foundation, evidence shows that the further from a metropolitan centre a cancer patient lives, the more likely they are to die within five years of diagnosis. Among the factors contributing to this are accessibility to and distance from services; limited availability of support services like accommodation and transport; limited availability of specialists; less availability of diagnostics and testing; less availability of treatment services; and suboptimal chemotherapy treatments. We know the danger of this, because a later diagnosis can result in later or no treatment. In my previous work in health, I spoke to numerous patients who described the immense stress that the cost of travel and accommodation to see specialists and have treatment placed on them.

The Herald Sun reported last week that more younger Australians are now being diagnosed with bowel cancer than ever before. It now kills more people aged 25 to 44 than any other type of cancer. Breast Cancer Network Australia has highlighted that in Australia on average 57 people are diagnosed with breast cancer per day, and sadly, research shows that more and more young people are getting diagnosed with breast cancer. This is why the Eastern Victoria Region needs better access to healthcare services and the infrastructure that supports them. Like my colleague in the other place Wayne Farnham, member for Narracan, said this week, the delivery of this hospital infrastructure will be a test of the government’s integrity. The Labor government has promised it, and the Labor government must deliver it.