THE State Government has ruled out health service mergers but the Coalition claims the new health service networks are code for cuts.
Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh says Premier Allan’s “under the holiday radar” announcement last week of its new local health service networks is the first step to force mergers on regional health services.
He says under the new scheme, Echuca, Rochester, Kerang, Cohuna, Boort and Swan Hill are now all part of the Loddon Mallee Health Network, which will be headquartered in Bendigo. Kyabram has been pushed in to the new Hume network.
“If you don’t think Premier Allan wants to merge our health systems into a centralised model, with all decisions made elsewhere, why the hell would you have Mildura in the same district as Bendigo – they are more than 400km apart for heaven’s sake,” Mr Walsh says.
“That’s so obviously ridiculous to you and me, just as it is ridiculous to assume any of the major health hubs in my electorate will be better off with the big decisions being made in Bendigo, initially, but let’s not kid ourselves, under Labor this control is all moving to Melbourne,” Mr Walsh said this week.