The health crisis in Victoria has deepened as another regional Victorian hospital was forced to declare a Code Yellow at the weekend.
Ballarat Base Hospital announced the internal emergency measures on Sunday, the second since April, as staffing shortages forced a focus on urgent areas of care and patients were encouraged to seek support elsewhere.
The Code Yellow declaration comes after Albury Wodonga Health again last week warned of emergency department delays and was forced to restrict visitors to the hospital.
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, said years of mismanagement had caused the system to break under pressure.
“Daniel Andrews has been Health Minister or Premier for 11 of the last 15 years; this crisis is on him,” Ms Crozier said.
“Regional Victorians deserve the confidence to know in their time of need their local health service will be able to care for them.
“Our nurses, doctors and hospital staff are all overworked and overwhelmed, yet there’s no support from the Andrews Labor Government.”
Member for Ripon, Louise Staley, said it was the second Code Yellow introduced at the hospital this year.
“Due to the lack of support and underinvestment in our health system, Ballarat Hospital has been forced to introduce these emergency measures yet again,” Ms Staley said.
“Making hollow promises and re-heating old announcements won’t fix the health crisis Daniel Andrews has created. Only a change of government will ensure Victorians get the healthcare they need, when they need it.”
