A SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT AND ITS SOCIALIZED HOSPITALS CANNOT EVEN HANDLE EMERGENCIES

In the Australian State of Victoria

"EMERGENCY patients at Victorian regional hospitals are worse off under Labor with more than 1000 people in the past quarter waiting at least 12 hours for a bed. An analysis of Department of Human Services figures reveal country patients fared better under the Kennett government. In the September quarter, 1076 Victorians endured delays of more than 12 hours on trolleys compared with 48 in the corresponding period in 1999. Hospitals in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo were three of the most affected by the blowout.

Opposition health spokesman David Davis attributed the rise to the closure of hospital beds throughout Victoria. "Patients are banking up on trolleys in emergency departments because the Bracks Government has closed beds in public hospitals," Mr Davis said. "This is not the failing of one hospital, it is the inability of the Bracks Government to manage country hospitals and their emergency departments." Mr Davis said the figures did not include patients who died after extended waiting periods in emergency departments and those who were transferred to another hospital or had discharged themselves without being treated. "This is not the full story," he said. "Mr Bracks needs to come clean about the full number of patients facing these types of delays."

Geelong Hospital had the biggest rise, from just five patients in the September quarter of 1999 to 397 in the same period last year".

Source


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For greatest efficiency, lowest cost and maximum choice, ALL hospitals and health insurance schemes should be privately owned and run -- with government-paid vouchers for the very poor and minimal regulation.

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