Victoria Doctors Welcome AU$1.5bn Boost, Warn of Deeper Crisis

Melbourne — Victorian doctors’ groups have welcomed the Carroll Labor Government’s AU$1.5 billion investment in emergency care while cautioning that the state’s hospital crisis cannot be resolved without comprehensive reform across the entire health system and clear commitments on medical staffing.

The government announced plans to expand capacity at 12 emergency departments, adding 250 beds and 1,500 health workers, with the stated goal of cutting emergency department waiting times by up to 20%.

Australian Medical Association (AMA) Victoria President, Dr. Simon Judkins, said the funding was urgently needed amid intense pressure on patients and staff.

“We welcome this significant commitment to increasing emergency department capacity and reducing the unacceptable delays many Victorian patients are currently experiencing,” Dr. Judkins said.

“The fact is our emergency departments and the doctors and medical staff working in them are under enormous pressure and this additional investment is urgently needed.

“But the reality is that emergency departments do not operate in isolation, and that doctors in emergency departments are already dealing with heavy workloads," he said

He called on the next Victorian government to review the full emergency care pathway and tackle bottlenecks at every stage, from ambulance transfers into hospital, to movement of patients into wards and intensive care, through to timely discharge into rehabilitation, aged care or community support.

“We already have hospital wards containing patients who cannot be discharged because the next stage of care simply isn’t available,” Dr. Judkins said.

“Unless we address those pressures across the entire system, patients will continue to face delays and our emergency medical staff will continue to struggle with fatigue, unsustainable working hours and the threat to patient safety," he said.

Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation (ASMOF) Victoria President, Dr. Roderick McRae said new beds and facilities would not deliver care without sufficient doctors.

He noted the announcement came amid recent stopgap industrial agreements following stalled enterprise bargaining, with real-terms pay for senior medical staff, including emergency specialists, continuing to decline.

“New beds and expanded facilities are welcome, but they, in of themselves, cannot provide healthcare without the doctors and medical staff needed to operate them,” Dr. McRae said.

“Victoria continues to face systemic medical understaffing, which places enormous pressure on existing doctors and limits the capacity of our health system to provide the care patients need.

“We cannot sustainably increase hospital capacity while doctors are working excessive hours, experiencing serious fatigue and being asked to continually do more because there simply are not enough medical staff.

“To attract and retain the doctors Victoria needs, we must provide competitive pay and conditions and make Victoria a place where doctors want to build their careers and that means delivering an enterprise bargaining agreement that lays down a strong foundation for future growth.

“If we do not address the medical workforce shortage, new beds and facilities will continue sitting underutilised while existing doctors continue to work under unsustainable pressure, he said.

Dr. Judkins further urged all parties contesting the upcoming state election to present detailed, long-term plans for health system reform that follow patients through their entire care journey.

“This announcement is an important investment in emergency care, but Victoria needs a health system strategy that follows the patient through their entire journey,” he said.

“With demand continuing to grow and our population ageing, the next Victorian Government must invest in the hospital capacity, workforce and community services required to deliver safe, timely and sustainable healthcare for Victorians.

“We call on all political parties contesting the Victorian election to clearly lay out their plans for reforming and rebuilding the Victorian healthcare system," he added.