The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says as Victoria’s hospital waitlist crisis continues to worsen, some heartbreaking cases are coming through the front door of his electorate office desperately seeking help.
And Mr Walsh said this was not just isolated problems, Nationals members across the state are seeing similar tragedies unfolding.
He said in one case a woman; who was 20 weeks pregnant and in need of urgent treatment for fluid on her brain, was forced to wait more than a week to be granted access to a hospital bed.
“Despite all her family members living in a region with no active cases of coronavirus, current COVID restrictions prevented her from being with her husband, Sam, and young daughter during her wait for treatment,” Mr Walsh said.
“The Labor Government was pressured in State Parliament this week to ensure the woman received urgent care, but the Minister for Health refused to explain why she was being forced to wait,” he said.
“The most recent case I have is another young woman whose throat surgery has now been put back months, she has been told maybe as many as six.”
Mr Walsh said these are just a couple of the many – too many – of the stories which have laid bare the harrowing toll of lockdown.
He said the sickest Victorians are waiting longer for care as hospital waitlists continue to blow out under the Andrews Labor Government.
In the case of the pregnant lady, doctors had warned the woman her health risks worsen every day she waits for the urgently-needed lumbar puncture, with complications including blindness and the loss of her unborn child.
“She’s finally now been allocated a hospital bed so this procedure could take place, but it shouldn’t have taken raising their story in State Parliament for the Government to ensure she got the care she so desperately needed.
“This people are examples of this Labor Government failing Victorian patients – causing huge emotional, physical and mental stress.
“Victoria is one of the worst performing states in Australia when it comes to delivering health services.
“Under Labor, Victorians with potentially life-threatening conditions are not being seen on time.”