The Northern Hospital is feeling the brunt of Denis Napthine’s $826 million health cuts, according to the member for Northern Metropolitan Region Jenny Mikakos.
Despite the rising demand for beds, the Northern Hospital is being forced to cut the number of beds on offer.
“Patients are missing out at one of Melbourne’s busiest hospitals because Denis Napthine won’t fund health properly,” stated Ms Mikakos.
“Mr Napthine promised to deliver 800 new beds to the state’s health system, but instead the system is contracting, as shown by the plans to close beds and cut staff hours.”
Next month, both the Adult Assessment and Child and Adolescent Health Units will be affected, revealed leaked Northern Health Documents, according to a statement released by Ms Mikakos.
The Adult Assessment Unit will lose eight beds, from 24 to 16, while the Child and Adolescent Health Unit will go from 20 to 16 beds and is set to remain shut until 30 June 2014.
“Hospitals are making cutbacks that are hurting patients because the Liberals always cut health,” said Ms Mikakos.
According to the member for the Northern Metropolitan Region, the government has failed to adequately explain the issue regarding the health cuts and is subsequently not doing anything to alleviate the issues being faced by the Northern Hospital, situated in one of Melbourne’s fastest growing suburbs.