The Victorian Liberals and Nationals have committed to a recurrent funding boost to fund the future of Heyfield Hospital and important infrastructure upgrades at Maffra Hospital.
Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull said these announcements come on the back of a $230 million commitment to build a new Bairnsdale Hospital.
“We are able to do this because we are reallocating money from the Box Hill-to-Cheltenham rail project (Suburban Rail Loop Stage One) to fix the health crisis and much of this is occurring in regional Victoria,” Mr Bull said.
“Heyfield Hospital is one of the five remaining Victorian Community (formally Bush Nursing) Hospitals, which needs critical funding in order to keep the doors open and the lights on.
“There used to be 40 of these facilities in the state and now there are only five left at Heyfield, Euroa, Nagambie, Neerim and Cobden and each are important to their local communities but will wither without support.
“The community hospitals have put their case to the government for some time now to no avail.
“We will answer their call and meet the recurrent funding shortfalls of each.
“The Heyfield Hospital plays a critical role in the region, providing medical services seven days a week, not only for Heyfield residents, but for Glenmaggie, Coongulla, Nambrok, Cowwarr and surrounds as well.”
Mr Bull said that in addition to this, he was pleased to announce major upgrades to the Maffra hospital.
“A detailed cost summary amounting to $6.1 million was provided to me earlier this year by the Central Gippsland Health Service (CGHS), and I am pleased to make this commitment to ensure the health care facility keeps pace with a growing population.
“Having been in discussions with CGHS throughout this year in relation to this project, they have provided me with an accurate understanding of what is required at Maffra Hospital. That is why I recently queried Labor’s announcement of ‘up to’ $70m, an announcement that was made without prior contact with CGHS and the first they knew of it was when I called them several hours after it was announced in Wantirna, more than 200 kilometres away.”
“That in itself is staggeringly reckless.
“Unlike Labor, we communicate openly with our health services, ask what is needed, receive the costings and make announcements accordingly.
“Labor never set foot in the town or spoke with locals to understand the need and just plucked a figure from the sky.
“We will provide the funding that has been asked for by our health services to upgrade the infrastructure at Bairnsdale and Maffra and ensure the required recurrent funding is provided to Heyfield,” Mr Bull said.
