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Danny O'Brien warns against Gippsland Southern Health and Bass Coast Health merger with metropolitan hospitals

Nationals MPs Danny O'Brien and Melina Bath oppose the Gippsland Southern Health and Bass Coast Health merger, citing lack of consultation, risks to rural healthcare, and concerns over job and service losses.

By news@gippsland - 26th February 2025 - Back to News

The decision of Gippsland Southern Health Service and Bass Coast Health to join a merger with major metropolitan hospitals will be a long-term disaster according to local Nationals MPs. The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O'Brien said the news of the merger was confirmation that Labor's health service plans were simply mergers by stealth.

Nationals MPs warn the Gippsland Southern Health and Bass Coast Health merger with metropolitan hospitals will harm rural healthcare, calling it a stealth move by Labor to consolidate services

Protecting rural healthcare

Mr O'Brien said, "I am seriously concerned at this announcement and the impact it will have on provision of health services for the people of South Gippsland. While the government and the respective boards will talk-up all the potential benefits, the reality is small rural services will always lose out to the much bigger and busier hospitals like The Alfred and Frankston."

"In addition, there has been virtually no consultation with the wider community on this plan, which is only just getting used to the idea of the proposed new health service network and now is told its local hospital will lose its autonomy under a new board covering the region from inner city South Yarra to Tarwin Lower."

"This mega merger is what we've been warning about for the last couple of years and is part of Labor's plans to consolidate that will only diminish our smaller rural services," he said.

Defending regional healthcare

The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath said no one should believe assurances from the Allan government about health jobs and services. "These mergers are about saving money because Labor can't manage money and regional Victorians are paying the price."

"While we might get some loose commitments that there are no job or service delivery losses for the first few years but over time, the big hospitals will take the lion's share and we will get the crumbs."

"The community has not been consulted on this merger idea and many will be very angry that local hospital boards are going, along with local control of our own health services," said Mr O'Brien.

Pictures from Danny O'Brien MP Instagram page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com