Health system
Jade BENHAM (Mildura) (14:31): My question is for the Minister for Health. Eighty-six-year-old Maria was brought to Mildura Base Public Hospital recently with a suspected heart attack. Maria was left on a gurney in the hallway for 6 hours waiting for a bed without being afforded the comfort of any visitors to hold her hand and support her even though her daughters and granddaughters were outside in the waiting room. Maria died later that night, scared and alone. Why are Victorians like Maria still dying in hospital hallways despite Labor’s repeated promises to fix the health system?
Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:32): I thank the member for Mildura for her question. Firstly, can I extend my condolences to Maria’s family at what is obviously a very distressing time. As has always been the case in this place, I am not going to provide comment on individual cases. I would suggest to the member for Mildura, if she is genuine in her concern, that she can approach me, as she well knows, just in my office or correspond with me, and I will ensure that we find out exactly what has happened. But I would say this –
Jade Benham: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question was not about the individual case, it was about why Victorians are dying in hallways.
Ben Carroll: On the point of order, Speaker, it is well within Rulings from the Chair, page 156, that an answer is relevant if related to a question’s preamble. That was from Speaker Lindell. The Leader of the House was well within her rights to, as she did, console the family first and foremost, which is what the preamble went to. The minister has only just been on her feet for 35 seconds, so I urge that it be ruled out of order.
The SPEAKER: I do not uphold the point of order. The minister was being relevant to the question.
Mary-Anne THOMAS: I was asked about a constituent of the member for Mildura, and as I have already indicated to the house, I take these matters very, very seriously. If the member for Mildura joins me in that seriousness, then she will share with me information outside this chamber, and I will get a response for her.
Jade BENHAM (Mildura) (14:34): Mildura Base Public Hospital has been crying out for a bare minimum 30 additional ED beds for years now. When will the government provide them so patients like Maria can be treated immediately instead of having to lie on a gurney for 6 hours?
Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:34): Once again I thank the member for her question. There are a lot of assumptions in the question, and I would make this point: here in Victoria we are the only state that continues to see all of category 1 patients that present to our emergency departments immediately. That is a fact that we are proud of. We are the only state that delivers that. Again, my condolences are with the family, and if the member wishes to really understand what is happening –
Bridget Vallence: Speaker, on a point of order, the minister is debating the question. It was very narrow about 30 ED beds and when they will be provided.
The SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant to the question.
Mary-Anne THOMAS: Again, I appreciate the opportunity to respond to this question. There are a couple of important points that the member made in asking the question. One was that she underlined that Mildura is now a public hospital. That of course is as a consequence of this government purchasing the hospital back from the private providers – (Time expired)