By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A new paediatric GP respiratory clinic at Monash Children’s Hospital is part of a $162 million package to boost ailing hospitals in Victoria.
The GP-led clinic aims to take pressure off emergency departments by treating children with mild symptoms for flu, Covid, asthma, hay fever and other respiratory conditions.
Other measures include extra specialist nurses and doctors to help at 12 major hospitals, including Monash Medical Centre, Casey and Dandenong.
Based on a model in Leeds, United Kingdom, there will be ‘offload’ nurses to help ambulances offload patients quicker as well as triage doctors.
There will also be discharge coordinators to focus on transition of care from the ward to home or another healthcare centre.
The model aims for quicker treatment and less ambulance ramping at hospitals, while dealing with major staff shortages.
Since 22 June, Victorians with Covid who are in hospital has nearly doubled and Covid patients in ICU has risen 60 per cent, the State Government stated.
At the same time, workforce furlough increased 47 per cent – with more than 10,000 staff absent in the first week of July.
More than 8500 extra workers were in the Victorian health workforce since the start of the pandemic, the Government stated.
Premier Daniel Andrews said healthcare systems worldwide were” under pressure as we battle new variants alongside other respiratory illnesses”.
“These investments are part of our plan to support our healthcare workers and get Victorians the care they need.”
Other measures include doubling ‘virtual’ emergency department consultations – via video at home – to 500 a day.
Since October 2020, more than 28,000 patients had consulted emergency nurses and doctors in the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department. About 71 per cent of them did not require an ambulance or ED visit.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) welcomed the paediatric GP respiratory clinics at Monash Children’s and the Royal Children’s hospitals.
RACGP president Karen Price said a hospital emergency department was “far from an ideal place” for children with respiratory symptoms.
“Our EDs are operating under tremendous pressure with long wait times, and we want to try and limit the spread of respiratory illnesses to other people with health concerns waiting for care.”
RACGP state chair Anita Munoz said GPs were “up against it” delivering Covid vaccines and boosters, Covid medication as well as flu vaccines and helping patients who delayed consultations and screenings during the pandemic.
“Any step that can potentially ease pressure on general practice and the entire health system is welcome,” Dr Munoz said.
“I’m immensely proud of all practice teams who are working so hard in such challenging circumstances.”
Opposition health spokesperson Georgie Crozier said if elected, the Victorian Liberals and Nationals would deliver “real solutions to reduce surgery waiting lists, build five new hospitals, fix Triple Zero, and deliver the health services Victorians deserve”.
“Daniel Andrews has been in charge of Victoria’s health system as Minister or Premier for 11 of the past 15 years – he cannot escape responsibility for this crisis.
“Before Covid, Victoria had the lowest government funding for hospitals in the nation.
“Instead of preparing the health system, Daniel Andrews failed to deliver the promised ICU beds, staff and capacity.
“The people who got us into this mess are not the ones to get us out. Only a change of government will end the health crisis.”
