Shadow Minister for Health Helen Shardey.By Dion Teasdale
Health Minister Bronwyn Pike was scheduled to announce yesterday (Monday) that the $5 million budget for the super clinic, to be build on Clarke Street in Lilydale, will be boosted to $15 million.
“This will mean that the Lilydale super clinic is by far the largest being built in the state,” a spokesman from the Minister’s office told the Mail.
“The Government has purchased more land than initially announced for the construction of the clinic, which will include operating theatres.”
The spokesman said the Government hoped the clinic would be completed by late 2007.
The boost to funding for the super clinic followed criticism of the Government’s commitment to health services in the region by Shadow Minister for Health Helen Shardey. Last week Ms Shardey raised concerns about the ability of the Healesville and District Hospital to meet the needs of the surrounding community. Ms Shardey said the size and age of the hospital, the need for more doctors and the lack of medical specialists working in the area needed to be addressed.
She expressed her concerns after a tour of the hospital’s facilities as part of a visit to three hospitals in the Seymour electorate last Friday, 17 March.
“I was surprised how small and old the hospital is, considering it is meant to service such a large catchment area,” she said.
“It is only a 19-bed hospital which services a catchment area of around 137,000 people.
Ms Shardey said she was particularly surprised by the size and condition of the facilities considering the health problems in the region.
“There is a high proportion of people suffering complex mental health and drug and alcohol issues in the area and access to acute mental health beds hasn’t been available,” she said.
Ms Shardey said the other major health issue facing the area was the shortage of doctors.
“The area is finding it difficult to get GPs and medical specialists, which is in contrast with other parts of Victoria,” she said.
Ms Shardey criticised the State Government for taking too long to deliver on promised health service improvements in the area.
“(Health) Minister Pike is always telling us how wonderful the health system is when things are wrong and attention needs to go to communities like this,” she said.
“I think there needs to be a proper needs analysis of the area to make sure people have access to a proper health system.”
