WITH Victoria heading towards a crucial state election, across the next five weeks the North Central Review will be counting down our top five areas in desperate need of attention within the shire.
#4: Healthcare and the lack of facilities
LAST week, we examined how Mitchell Shire’s population growth is outpacing infrastructure. Nowhere is that more evident than in healthcare, where demand is rapidly exceeding the capacity of existing services.
The Mitchell Shire could be home to 250,000 people by 2046, yet we don’t have a major public hospital, and the closest one already has the busiest emergency department in Victoria.
Northern Hospital Epping treats more than 118,000 patients each year with over 33,000 coming to the hospital via ambulance.
In recent times, the Northern Health social media has told community members to stay away from the emergency room unless it’s a serious situation.
“If your medical condition is not life-threatening, please consider using our alternative services such as the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department or the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, situated within the Epping Plaza Medical and Dental Centre.”
It proves that wait times are extending and busy periods are becoming more frequent due to the large amounts of population growth around the area, with only one major public hospital.
The Northern in Epping is receiving a $813 million dollar upgrade to extend its emergency department which will help the hospital grow by another 30,000 patients per year.
The Review contacted the Minister for Health, Harriet Shing who said it doesn’t matter where you live, you deserve good enough healthcare.
“Your postcode shouldn’t matter when it comes to getting high-quality public healthcare. Every family across the state deserves access to public treatment, care and support.”
“That’s why we established our Local Health Service Networks. Patients of Seymour Health and Kilmore District Hospital have already experienced a positive difference in the care they are getting that is faster and closer to home.”
State Member for Northern Victoria Annabelle Cleeland believes in the last four years, the state of healthcare has struggled.
“I first stood for this seat because of the disadvantage regional communities face in accessing health care, and in the last four years it’s only gotten worse — compounded by more than a decade of neglect under this government’s approach to regional health investment.”
“Regional Victorians are 1.8 times more likely to die from a preventable disease because of that inaccessibility to health services.”
The Department of Health prioritises infrastructure on a needs basis, using data and a whole-of-system approach to inform decision making.
In the Mitchell Shire, Seymour Health and Kilmore District Hospital are part of the North Metro and Mitchell Local Health Service Network, meaning they work in collaboration with major metro hospitals – Austin Health and Northern Health to share resources and give patients access to more specialised care.
However, while the quality of care at Kilmore and Seymour is widely recognised, many residents argue access is becoming increasingly difficult as population growth outpaces available services.
The shire deserves its own major hospital considering the mass expansion of Donnybrook and Beveridge as well as upgrades to the current infrastructure like the Kilmore or Seymour Hospitals.
“With the extraordinary growth targeted at this region, the development around Cloverton and Donnybrook will need a hospital of its own. But we also need to keep investing in our existing regional hospitals, like Kilmore and Seymour, which have also seen significant growth. It has to be both — new investment where it’s needed, and supporting and protecting what already exists.”
Quality of these hospitals in local areas are fantastic, and the healthcare workers are not part of the issue, the concerns are that the infrastructure and workforce haven’t kept pace with Victoria’s fastest growing council groups.
Additionally, the region is one of the only areas across Victoria without a dedicated mental health service such as Headspace, which is situated at Craigieburn and Shepparton.
Other options are available through Omnia Community Health and other GPs but it would be a very important investment to get a dedicated mental health service within the Mitchell Shire region.
As one of Victoria’s fastest-growing municipalities, Mitchell Shire is no longer planning for tomorrow’s healthcare needs, it is already struggling to meet today’s.
