A south-west MP has called on the State Government to release the Hillis Report into Portland District Health and come clean on its future plans for healthcare in the Portland region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell raised the issue in Victorian Parliament on Tuesday.
She said the Portland community needs transparency from the government about the future of Portland hospital and a guarantee that the services would not be closed or amalgamated.
"The Hillis report clearly states amalgamation is not the answer for Portland, but it seems clear that is what the government is intending to do," Ms Britnell told Parliament.
"There always needs to be co-operation between health organisations, the sharing of expertise and utilisation of services, but that is very, very different to amalgamation."
Ms Britnell claimed the "damning" Hillis report showed the government had not implemented necessary changes at PDH and had completely ignored recommendations from previous reviews.
"Portland District Health can't do it on its own, and the (Hillis) report makes this clear," she said.
"It needs the government to take the lead."
Ms Britnell told parliament there was significant angst in the Portland community about the future of the hospital and the government's intentions.
"I am in no way criticising the fantastic staff at the hospital - the nurses, doctors and specialists - whose focus is always on getting the best health outcomes for the people of the Portland region," she said.
"But it's quite clear that the government is not interested in those same health outcomes and is prepared to leave Portland out on a limb."
Ms Britnell last year called on the Minister for Health Martin Foley to categorically rule out merging Portland District Health with another health service after board appointments and a government health service plan indicated there was an amalgamation agenda.
She said Portland locals were sidelined from the new board, with six of the nine new appointments made by the minister coming from outside the region.
In addition, the minister did not rule out amalgamation when pressed by Ms Britnell in Question Time last year.
More to come.
IN OTHER NEWS:
- South-west residents call for better internet access and mobile phone coverage
- Warrnambool Airport cross runway upgrade completed
- Wannon United Australia Party candidate Craige Kensen says people ready for change
- Comedian Damian Callinan brings Mayor for a Day show to region
- Runners pound the pavement for inaugural Port Fairy Marathon
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.standard.net.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines and newsletters
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn
- Tap here to open our Google News page.
- Join our Courts and Crime Facebook group and our dedicated Sport Facebook group
- Subscribe
Now just one tap with our new app: Digital subscribers now have the convenience of faster news, right at your fingertips with The Standard: