Wednesday, 29 November 2023

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (17:52): (633) My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Health and regards funding for the completion of the Goulburn Valley Health redevelopment project. The action that I seek is for the minister to ensure a funding commitment that fully completes the redevelopment of Goulburn Valley Health as well as a funding commitment of around $25 million to establish a clinical health school in Shepparton to address the significant shortage of health workers in the region.

Following a tour of the stage 1 works of the hospital’s redevelopment by the minister on 16 March this year, the government’s media release promoted the minister’s tour of the stage 1 works and referred to the works as the final stage of the redevelopment. However, the minister is fully aware that this is blatantly untrue. The works she toured are only stage 1 of the hospital’s redevelopment, evidenced by the commitment of $2 million towards commencement of planning for stage 2 of the redevelopment in the 2019 state budget. Vital components of the redevelopment remain incomplete and in need of funding. These components include the construction of an integrated cancer service, increased acute and subacute inpatient capacity, additional places for ambulatory care, services for specialist clinics, additional car parking and a helipad, and clinical support and diagnostic services.

Combating the shortage of medical staff within the region also requires the government to commit significant funding to establishing a clinical health school on the Graham Street site. Goulburn Valley Health will require an additional 360 nurses by 2025 and is also facing shortages in allied health staff. With studies conducted by La Trobe University finding that people who train in regional areas are more likely to stay in the region, the clinical school will help to address shortages in nurses, midwives and health workers locally. Establishing a clinical health school on the Goulburn Valley Health site would enable locals to access high-quality training to enter the workforce and would enable the hospital to access an expanded talent pool to compensate for the existing shortages. Training nurses and allied health professionals would enhance the capacity of the regional hospital in conjunction with the redevelopment project.

In 2021 I FOIed the business case for the redevelopment. More than three years later this FOI is still ongoing, despite the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner ordering the government to release the business case in part and the full executive summary PowerPoint. The fact that I am still fighting for the release of this information shows just how desperate this government is to hide the state of the health system in Victoria and particularly the need for further investment in Goulburn Valley Health.