By CHARLENE MACAULAY
WESTERN Health is facing a $22 million funding shortfall over the next three years as the Federal Government delivers a $368 million funding cut to Victorian public hospitals.
State Health Minister David Davis said Western Health would lose out on $6.02 million across its Western, Sunshine and Williamstown hospitals during the 2013-14 financial year, and $22.233 million over three years.
Federal Health Minister Tania Plibersek disputed the claims last week, saying that federal funding to Victorian hospitals would increase by $1.2 billion by 2016-17.
It’s been a tumultuous year for Western Health, which had $6.549 million in funding cut in January and reimbursed a couple of months later. Western Health announced plans to close operating theatres at Western and Sunshine hospitals for four weeks between March and May to combat the funding cut.
Western Health had also announced a further reduction in surgical activity resulting in the cancellation of an additional 550 category two and three elective surgeries across various specialties and the closure of eight surgical inpatient beds at Western Hospital.
In a statement released last week, Western Health executive director of operations Russell Harrison said Western Health had developed contingency plans for the reduced funding.
“Western Health is planning on the basis that there has been a reduction in funds from the Federal Government for the coming financial year, however the full impacts of a reduction would not be known until the health service is aware of the overall funding it has from the Victorian Government for 2013-14,” Ms Harrison said.
“On this basis, we have developed contingencies to revise schedules for elective surgery and other services, as far as this is possible, in an attempt to accommodate a potential impact on our overall budget.
“Managing elective surgery waiting lists in a major health service is a very complex process and extensive arrangements are made to accommodate any changes to budgets.
“We look forward to continuing to provide the highest possible level of service to our patients and an early resolution of the matters around funding.”
Western Health would not comment on last week’s leadership spill and any impacts that may have on hospital funding.
The news comes a week after Western Private Hospital in Footscray turned the sod on a mammoth $30 million redevelopment that will see the existing hospital revamped and a new facility built across the road.
The redevelopment, which is being fully funded by private shareholders, would double the number of inpatient beds and more than double the number of staff.
