NEWS DESK
University and hospital team up for tests
Commuter chaos on Frankston line
Brodie Cowburn
COMMUTERS on the Frankston line have faced headaches last week, with multiple services delayed or cancelled without prior warning. Major delays and cancellations on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines saw Frankston services flooded with people on the evening of 14 January. Passengers were encouraged to seek alternative transport options, and were later offered refunds by Public Transport Victoria. An equipment fault saw delays of up to an hour for city bound Frankston line services on 15 January, before trains between Mordialloc and Frankston were cancelled due to a person being hit by a train. Another train fault near Mentone caused minor delays. Scheduled level crossing removal works took place over the weekend when buses replace trains between Mordialloc and Frankston stations from Friday night until the last train on Sunday. Journey times were expected increase by up to 25 minutes.
brodie@baysidenews.com.au A PARTNERSHIP between Monash University and Peninsula Health has been formed to help research and design new “integrated models of care” for people in aged care and those with mental health or addiction issues. The two organisations teamed up to bring together “researchers, clinicians, health system leaders, consumers and students” to test “new evidence-based models of care that can make our health system more sustainable, equitable and efficient.” The $48 million dollar project, titled the Health Futures Hub, was announced at Frankston Hospital last Wednesday 16 January. Peninsula Health CEO Felicity Topp said “our Health Futures Hub is intended to transform health provisions in the field of aged care and chronic diseases, supported by a dynamic digital health platform which will be the first of its kind in Australia. It will lead the way in new models of health care for several chronic diseases and will serve as a national exemplar for an integrated approach involving multiple sectors of university, health care, and academia.” Dunkley Labor candidate Peta Murphy attended the hospital to announce that federal Labor would invest $21 million into the project if it wins the election this year. “What this will mean is that Monash Peninsula campus and students who are doing their clinical work at Frankston Hospital more broadly, will be part of a nation leading and world leading institution. It’s why students will want to come to Frankston to Monash University and why medical professionals, through all of the disciplines of medicine, will want to work at Frankston Hospital and Peninsula Health. Because there’s this opportunity to be part of something broader,” she said.
Hopsitable hospital: Dunkley candidate Peta Murphy visited Frankston Hospital with Shadow Health Minister Catherine King to make an election promise to fund a new healthcare project.. Picture: Yanni
“We will be leading the way for solutions for the rest of the country. I can’t think of a better way to promote Frankston Ms Murphy said the first two phases of the project include “the establishment of new research centres and a Health Data Platform at the Frankston Health and Education Precinct, and the expansion of the Academic Centre at Frankston Hospital.” Dunkley MP Chris Crewther made some criticisms of the announcement, telling The Times that he and “Greg Hunt had initiated discussions on the project two years ago. The overall costings for the project are more than was announced. There are elements of the project that haven’t been announced that should be in the proposal.” “It’s great they’ve committed to it, but they haven’t committed to all elements of the project.
The plans that we’ve worked on were developed more over the last year. The proposal we’ve worked on is larger than a $48 million proposal,” he said. Mr Crewther took to social media to accuse federal Labor of offering a “discounted version of the model” that would “really shortchange Frankston”. When asked by The Times, Mr Crewther would not reveal what was missing from the proposal or how much the project had been “shortchanged”. Ms Murphy said “the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison government have been in power for five years, there’s been the local member here for nearly three years and they haven’t done any of this. As soon as this proposal was brought to my attention I’ve worked hard on it and we’ve announced it.”
Train pain: A number of unexpected delays hit Frankston line commuters last week. Picture: Gary Sissons
PREPARE FOR GRASSFIRE The reasons are black and white emergency.vic.gov.au
Download the VicEmergency app
If you live in a suburb near grasslands, you’re at risk of fire. If you live directly next to parks or paddocks and a fire starts, walk at least two streets back. If you live two or more streets away, stay where you are. Grassfires are unlikely to spread into built up areas. Stay alert and monitor conditions. Don’t drive, visibility may be poor, accidents are likely, and you could block emergency services. Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne
Frankston Times 22 January 2019
PAGE 7