Victoria's ambulance crisis deepens, with alarming reports of country patients stranded at city hospitals, unable to return home.
The reports come in the wake of proposed alterations to Ambulance Victoria’s patient transport service criteria, sparking community concern over potential increased costs for essential medical services.
From Monday, September 30, stricter guidelines will leave hundreds of vulnerable Victorians without crucial transport assistance for medical appointments and treatments.
State Member for Euroa and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Annabelle Cleeland voiced grave concerns about the news.
She said the growing centralisation of health services could make accessing healthcare in regional Victoria financially unattainable.
“With the cuts to health services and risk of mergers, patients are now facing an even more difficult future getting to and from crucial medical appointments,” she said.
“This will impact hundreds across our region, forcing several of our most vulnerable residents to pay prohibitive amounts to access healthcare.
“We are already hearing stories of patients being taken in ambulances to metropolitan hospitals far away from their homes without a way to get home due to a lack of patient transport options.
“The only option many of these people have is to spend hundreds of dollars on taxis, something that is simply untenable for the vast majority of people.”
In response, a Victorian Government spokesperson informed The Telegraph that eligibility criteria for non-emergency patient transport remain unchanged.
“These rules ensure it’s available for those who need clinical care during transport and help ambulance services focus on the sickest Victorians first,” the spokesperson said.
“Each time NEPT is used for someone who doesn’t need clinical care, it puts extra pressure on paramedics and Ambulance Victoria is working with health services to ensure bookings follow the rules and to share other transport options, like public transport, taxis, or community services.”
Ms Cleeland said a lack of support had been provided to patient transport and ambulance services across the state.
“Patient transport services have been neglected by this government, with local services like the Royal Flying Doctors’ community transport team in Heathcote sharing their need for more funding to deliver locals to their healthcare appointments,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Labor cannot manage money, and unfortunately it is sick Victorians that are left paying the price.”