The local Western Health network will face cuts of over $774.1 million over the next decade, Opposition Leader and Member for Maribyrnong Bill Shorten said today.

“The Abbott Government’s decision to slash $50 billion from Australian hospitals will hurt local services and hurt local patients,” Mr Shorten said.

“These cuts are the equivalent of sacking 1 in 3 doctors, 1 in 5 nurses and shutting down 1 in 13 hospital beds around the country.”

Mr Shorten said the Western Health Network, which oversees Sunshine Hospital, Western Hospital Footscray, Sunbury Day Hospital and Williamstown Hospital, would be significantly impacted by the funding cuts.

“By 2017-18, these hospital funding cuts will cost Western Health $58.7 million,” he said.

“When resources are already stretched, these cuts will just serve to increase emergency department waiting times, increase elective surgery waiting times and reduce the number of available hospital beds across our community.

“And it’s a cut that comes on top of the Abbott Government’s $7 GP tax, increased charges for diagnostics and imaging and more expensive medicine.

“It’s local patients who will bear the brunt of the Abbott Government’s heartless health cuts.”

ENDS