By Kath Gannaway
Eastern Health has rejected claims that cuts to allied health services is impacting on clients and waiting times.
The Mail contacted Eastern Health after sources close to Healesville Hospital and Yarra Valley Community Health raised concerns about cut-backs to allied health services and a ‘staff freeze’ at Yarra Junction and the closure of the Tecoma centre.
An elderly resident of Tecoma, also contacted the Mail voicing her concerns that
Eastern Health’s Tecoma Pathology Collection Centre is to close.
The Mail has been told there are currently multiple vacancies in paediatric services such as speech therapy and occupational therapy.
The involvement of the union – the Victorian Allied Health Practitioners Association (VAHPA) – and a dramatic spike in membership since December, has been taken as a vote by practitioners across the Eastern Health network that services are under threat.
VAHPA Lead Organiser Linda Jenkin told the Mail they became aware last year of concerns about cuts to services, particularly children’s services.
“We were made aware in late December that they (Eastern Health) had announced a range of austerity measures, had budget issues and were freezing positions and cancelling casual shifts,” she told the Mail.
She said they were working through some issues around a breach of the consultation clause in that process, but also said they had received correspondence about changes that impact the Healesville/Yarra Junction and Maroondah Hospital services.
“Any cut or reductions on staff has to impact clients and waiting lists,” Ms Jenkin said.
“You can’t just ‘off-shore’ any of this work, and a particular issue is children services where the evidence is there’s a very small window of opportunity to get kids into these services early.
“If people can’t afford to go to private practice, then that’s an issue.”
In areas such as the Upper Yarra and Healesville, where there is a high demand for children’s early intervention services, corresponding with a lower-socio economic demographic, and issues of poor transport services, there is a cumulative effect.
“If you have 45 (practitioners) at say Box Hill (hospital) and you take one out that’s one thing, but in those smaller campuses if you take one out where you might only have three practitioners, that’s a massive impact.”
The other issue is jobs – with Ms Jenkin saying that most staff live in the catchment.
Eastern Health responded to the Mail’s direct questions on cuts with a reaffirmation that “providing timely and clinically-appropriate care is a key priority for Eastern Health”.
Matt Sharp, Eastern Health Executive Director of Clinical Operations (Acute and Aged Medicine, Specialty Medicine and Ambulatory Care, Pathology, Pharmacy, Patient Access and Allied Health) said they are constantly working to balance high-quality, sustainable services with increased demand and a growing, diverse and ageing population.
“Eastern Health has systems in place to ensure clients are seen in order of clinical urgency. Our community health team is currently recruiting to recently vacated roles so we can provide more timely care. During this process, we are working with local health partners to ensure clients are seen sooner,” Mr Sharp said.
He said the decision to close the Tecoma Pathology Collection Centre was made after careful consideration, with an increase in private pathology providers in the Tecoma region a factor. Alternative services were available at a private service in Tecoma, or at The Angliss in Upper Ferntree Gully.
Eastern Health also advised that the use of casual staff at Eastern Health was part of normal business activities and said it fluctuates throughout the year, according to demand.
Addressing claims that they were making cuts to address a budget deficit of more than $20million, they advised the 2016-17 deficit was $8.4million – information that is available in their annual report.
