Funds injection for ailing hospitals

EASTERN HEALTH cannot guarantee services will be saved despite the Federal Government’s redirection of funding.
Last week, Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said Eastern Health would directly receive $8.5 million of redirected funds to fix the hole created by State Government cuts.
But Eastern Health could not say what the re-directed funding means for the Angliss Hopsital.
The Mail put a number of questions to Eastern Health following the announcement, but Chief Executive Alan Lily said while they welcomed the news, the organisation needed time to process the latest development.
“This is an unprecedented situation for our organisation. We will review the changes that have been made and assess how to move forward in the best interests of our staff and the community,” Mr Lily said.
Ms Plibesek made the announcement beside LaTrobe MP Laura Smyth last week.
“We believe we have an obligation to ensure Victorians are given the best possible health care,” Ms Plibersek said.
“We will not stand by and allow Premier Baillieu’s politicking to hurt patients.”
She said the funding injection would go directly to frontline hospital administrators so they could restore services shut down in recent months.
In reply to the funding announcement, the Victorian Coalition Government welcomed confirmation by the Prime Minister that $107 million in unjustified Federal Government cuts to Victoria’s health system this financial year have been abandoned, and that those funds will be reinstated and paid to Local Hospital Networks.
“However, the Prime Minister’s announcement only applies until 30 June and leaves in place a further $368 million in cuts over three years, which will again impact significantly on Victoria’s hospitals and patients from 1 July this year,” Premier Ted Baillieu said.