Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Health system

Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:01): My question is to the Minister for Health. Steph is just 13 years old and was scheduled for spinal surgery on 6 September, but on the day of this expected surgery it was cancelled. Her family was told this was because there were no ICU beds available to monitor her post-surgery recovery. Steph has a new surgery date of 11 October, 217 days from the date she first went on the 90-day waitlist. Due to the delay, she is now experiencing painful breathing because her curved spine is putting pressure on her lungs. Thirteen-year-old Steph is having trouble sleeping, and her neck is at a 45-degree angle, causing migraines and nausea. Will the minister finally acknowledge that Victoria’s health crisis is causing harm to thousands of Victorians, including children like 13-year-old Steph?

Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:02): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Can I take this opportunity to acknowledge what a challenging time this must be for Steph and her family. Obviously any delay in health care is distressing and upsetting, but I want to make this point: throughout Victoria our waitlists are being actively managed by the healthcare services, and each and every day our clinicians are making decisions in order to make sure that Victorians get access to the best care as quickly as possible. Of course if the member wants me to follow up on this case, I am more than happy to do so, so I extend that offer to the member—

Mr R Smith: On a point of order, Speaker, I have already written to the minister, and I have not had a reply yet, so we have already passed on the details.

The SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order.

Ms THOMAS: As I said, if the member wants me to follow up, then he will write to me. I am certainly not aware of having received any correspondence, but I am happy to look into that. I want to make this point: during the unprecedented pressure that our healthcare system has experienced and that our healthcare workforce has been under, we have worked hard every step of the way in partnership with our healthcare workers in order to implement a range of strategies to drive down the waitlist for planned surgery. Two of those initiatives include the purchase of private hospitals to turn them into public surgical centres at Frankston and Blackburn. Both of these initiatives have been opposed by those on the other side of the place.

Mr GUY (Bulleen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): Steph’s mum, Kylie, is a single parent who has enough challenges in her life without seeing her 13-year-old daughter living in constant pain. No parent should have to watch that. No child should have to live like that. What does the minister have to say to Kylie and her family as to why this life-changing surgery has been delayed so long that 13-year-old Steph now risks permanent damage because she has not been able to get the surgery she needs when she needs it?

Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:05): I think I have already made it clear that I acknowledge how distressing this may well be for Steph and her family, and indeed I make this point again: this is not a challenge that is being experienced uniquely here in Victoria; it is being experienced right around our nation and indeed across the world. Once again I wish Steph and her family all the best, and she can be assured that our hardworking clinicians will be making the assessment on a day-to-day basis about when they can deliver the surgery that Steph needs.