Ambulance services
Ms BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (14:16): My question is to the Minister for Health. Felicity from Warrnambool called 000 for an ambulance on Monday last week at 7.00 pm due to being in agony with severe abdominal pain and was told it would take 27 minutes to arrive. Three hours later and still waiting, with constant vomiting, crying in pain and her boyfriend trying to help her, they called twice more, but no-one answered their calls. Eventually giving up, Felicity passed out. Is a woman passing out waiting for an ambulance that never arrived yet another example of what the Premier describes as the government’s world-class health care for country Victorians?
Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:17): Obviously this was a distressing time for Felicity, but I want to make this point: that under our government we have seen record investment in our ambulance services. We have delivered an additional 2200 ambos, and indeed we continue to recruit. This year alone we have seen 400 more recruits commence with Ambulance Victoria. Last year we had 700. I am very, very proud of what we are doing to deliver services in rural and regional Victoria. Indeed, of the 400 recruits that are on deck this year so far, 26 will join the Barwon south-western region; 23 will join the Gippsland region in Bairnsdale, Cowes, Moe and Morwell; 24 will join the Grampians region in Ararat, Horsham and Stawell; 50 will join the Hume region in Mansfield, Wangaratta and Wodonga; and of course we will see more ambos in Mildura, Gisborne and Swan Hill. Of course there have been a range of other investments that our government—
Ms Britnell: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance. Last Monday Felicity called for an ambulance and nothing came. We are wanting to know why the health system is so poor now, not into the future, Minister—now.
The SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order.
Ms THOMAS: I will make this point: that our government continues to invest in our ambulance services. We are recruiting more paramedics. We are introducing the paramedic practitioner model, which will have particular application in rural and regional Victoria. We will not be going to war with our paramedics. We will not be cutting their funding.
But I do need to say that this has been a very challenging time for our health services, and indeed this has been experienced not just here in Victoria but across the nation and indeed around the world. When it comes to our ambulance services, we have just come off the busiest period ever, a record 16 per cent increase in the number of call-outs that they have received. That is why we will keep investing in paramedics. That is why we will continue to grow pathways for them. That is why we will continue to open new stations across Victoria, and we will stand by the workforce to support them to deliver the services that Victorians need and deserve.
Ms BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (14:20): In Victoria’s south-west, women have given birth on the side of the road, health services in Portland have been cut and ambulances are failing to show up to emergencies due to under-resourcing. Recently an 80-year-old woman waited in emergency on a trolley for 22 hours, people are being treated in corridors in Warrnambool hospital and 000 calls are still going unanswered. Why has the government allowed our country health system to deteriorate to such a shambolic condition that it is now putting Victorians’ lives at risk?
Ms THOMAS (Macedon—Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:21): I have to reject the premise of the question. It is not true. There is no truth in the assertion that there have been funding cuts to health services in rural and regional Victoria. Maternity services have returned to Portland—
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for South Barwon can leave the chamber for 1 hour.
Member for South Barwon withdrew from chamber.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! I want to hear the questions. I want to hear the minister’s answers.
Ms Britnell: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is misleading the house. Portland has had services cut.
The SPEAKER: The member for South-West Coast knows that that is not a point of order.
Ms THOMAS: Only this morning I announced another four dual crews to serve country communities. This is part of a commitment to increase crewing in 15 crews right across rural and regional Victoria. We are investing in the Warrnambool hospital. But I will tell you what we will not do: we will not close 15 hospitals in rural and regional Victoria like those on the other side did.