Eastern Health’s Maroondah Hospital was the subject of leaked information to the media and a number of reports from The Age last week, bringing a swift response by the State Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas.
The major public hospital’s service provision was brought into the limelight, with medical staff raising concerns that changes would compromise care, with leaked information stating specialist paediatric and surgery services would be moving out of the premises.
On 10 June, The Age reported that from November this year, there would be no paediatricians working at the Maroondah Hospital and stated that staff at Maroondah Hospital were recently told that speciality paediatric services were being relocated to another Eastern Health Hospital, Box Hill.
Following the report exposing the cost-cutting plan, the state government intervened on Wednesday, stalling Eastern Health’s leaked proposal to move paediatric staff from Maroondah Hospital to Box Hill.
Ms Thomas told ABC Radio on Wednesday 11 June, that her department hadn’t been told of Maroondah Hospital’s plans to move paediatrics admissions to the Box Hill Hospital.
“I have not received a formal proposal from Eastern Health regarding any of these changes, but I can be very clear with you and your listeners that I will not support any plans that would remove paediatricians from one of Melbourne’s biggest public hospitals in their servicing our eastern suburbs,” Ms Thomas told presenter Raf Epstein.
Funded by Australian and state and territory governments, as well as non-government funders such as private health insurers and individuals, the health system in Victoria has been given a $31 billion investment in healthcare in the latest budget.
The news of the budget was welcomed by many health organisations, and Victorian Health Care Association CEO Leigh Clarke said in a press release on 20 May that this funding would provide a good foundation for the health system to deliver high-quality care right across the Victorian community.
“While the Victorian State Budget increases funding for healthcare, we would like to see more detail on how this will flow through to the individual hospital budgets. Services across the state, including metropolitan, regional and small rural services, have slightly different funding arrangements, and we expect clarity on this in the weeks ahead,” she said.
The news of these potential major changes in major public health sites raises questions on how this recent budget delivery will help the outer east specifically – with recent issues across ICU staffing at Angliss Hospital earlier this year while construction takes place and a question mark remains on upgrades due to the Maroondah site.
“Mystery still surrounds the Maroondah Hospital upgrades despite this being promised by Labor since 2018 it has remained stuck in the planning phase for four years now,” MP Bridget Vallence, who was talking State Budget with Star Mail, said on 28 May.
Maroondah Hospital had upgrades announced as part of the State Budget in May 2021 – including a dedicated children’s emergency department, new operating theatres and day procedure units and a new mental health hub.
As the major and closest hospital for the outer east, upgrades would directly impact residents of the Yarra Ranges.
A Victorian Government spokesperson told Star Mail on Friday 13 June, that the state department would not support any plans that would remove paediatricians from one of the biggest public hospitals in Melbourne’s east.
“We’ve just delivered the biggest investment ever in frontline care to ensure Victorians get the care they need, when and where they need it,” they said.
A spokesperson from Eastern Health has stated that they are currently working with the Minister’s Office and the Department of Health.
“We have no further comment at this time,” they said.
