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HAINES ON HEALTH: INDEPENDENT Federal member for Indi Helen Haines was in town on Friday to talk with Mansfield Hospital CEO Cameron Butler, attempting to establish a $1 billion rural hospital fund. PHOTO: Jarrah Loh
Hope for hospital Member for Indi Helen Haines calls on funding g for outdated Mansfield District Hospital p INDEPENDENT Federal member for Indi Helen Haines visited Mansfield District Hospital on Friday and called on the Federal Government to establish a $1 billion rural hospital fund to finance essential health infrastructure in small towns. “From Mansfield to Bright and Benalla we’ve got small rural health services across Indi who barely get a look-in when it comes to hospital infrastructure funding,” Dr Haines said.
BY JARRAH LOH jloh@ nemedia.com.au
“In regional and rural Australia, the health needs of our communities are growing, but our health services are being left to fall behind. “As our communities grow and age, we are faced with outdated, ageing and often dangerous infrastructure. “It was bad before the
pandemic, but the last two years have shown just how big the problem is.” Dr Haines also said that existing funding arrangements for health infrastructure are not working for small rural health services, pointing to the example of our own hospital - Mansfield hospital’s master plan was submitted to the Victorian Health Building Authority over two years ago, yet there has been no movement on funding since then.
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20,000 and they can look at the catchment area and say it is 9000, but it can actually be double that,” he said. “Over December and January we had our highest number of presentations on record with approximately 600 a month.” The hospital also took $50,000 worth of damage during last year’s earthquake. “We stress that we need a new facility and not a refurbishment,” said Mr Butler.
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“They shouldn’t have to go cap-in-hand to the minister’s office to push for ad hoc funding,” she said. “They shouldn’t have to hope that a special deal will appear around election time.” Dr Haines met with Mansfield Hospital chief executive officer Cameron Butler who emphasised the local hospital’s needs which are already working past capacity. “Four or five months of the year our population soars to
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“We need the master plan to be funded and we want it quickly. “Our buildings are very old and this has been highlighted during the pandemic.” Both Mr Butler and Dr Haines believe the Mansfield hospital has a strong case, as they already have the land secured and plans in place. “We have aging infrastructure and growing populations,” said Dr Haines ■ Continued page 3
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