GETTING VICTORIAN PATIENTS HOME SOONER 

Labor has recruited 17,000 nurses and midwives, grown our workforce by 50 per cent and built 12 new public hospitals. 

Now, the Allan Labor Government is continuing to support our nurses, doctors and healthcare workers to deliver faster, safer emergency care for families across the state. 

Getting Melton patients home sooner 

Emergency departments and paramedics right across Victoria are facing record demand. 

It’s why Labor is backing 22 of our busiest public hospitals – including Sunshine and Footscray Hospitals with more than $4.7 million to make sure patients get home sooner. 

Patients are admitted to hospital every day but for a lot of hospitals it’s been a longtime practice to discharge Monday to Friday. 

This doesn’t make sense and Labor is supporting some of our busiest hospitals to change it. 

This funding will help them to discharge patients on weekends.  

It means more support for doctors, nurses, allied health workers and pharmacists on the weekend, as well as improvements to discharge planning and clinical handover processes. 

For patients who are medically ready to leave hospital, they will no longer spend extra time on a ward just because it happens to be the weekend. 

They'll continue to recover at home instead – freeing up beds for patients who need them most. 

By discharging patients sooner, patient flow will improve which will reduce pressure on our EDs – so staff can focus on emergencies and get paramedics back on the road. 

It will be achieved through practical changes like better coordination between clinical teams, increasing the use of discharge lounges and increased resourcing. 

Faster emergency care 

Increased weekend discharge is just one outcome from Labor’s Timely Emergency Care program. 

The program, which includes Ballarat Base Hospital, has supported 28 public hospitals to deliver care faster. 

It has delivered real results including more than 66,000 bed days freed across participating hospitals. 

Labor has also introduced handover standards – developed with clinicians, hospitals and Ambulance Victoria. 

They are already proven to help improve patient flow and reduce ED pressure. 

Backing faster care all year round 

Labor is investing in our world-class public health system, so Victorians get care faster, all year round. 

We’ve grown our workforce by 50 per cent, built new hospitals and delivered new services like the Virtual ED.

But under a One National-Liberal Coalition, it’s all at risk. 

You cannot implement Jess Wilson’s $40 billion cuts plan without cutting the frontline care Victorians rely on. 

They will cut funding, privatise hospitals, slash nursing jobs and go to war with paramedics. 

Quote attributable to Member for Melton Steve McGhie:

“We know the dedicated ED team at Sunshine and Footscray Hospital is facing high demand – that’s why we’re making sure they have the support they need to help deliver more care sooner.”  

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Harriet Shing  

“We’re backing our busiest public hospitals to get patients home sooner and free up beds for those who need them most.” 

“A One Nation-Liberal Coalition will put all Victorians’ access to public healthcare at risk.” 

“Their $40 billion cuts promise will only make it harder and more expensive for Victorian families to get the care they need."