Elective surgery waiting times could blow out at Ballarat Base Hospital after a funding cut, according to the state government.
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Victoria will lose $73 million in Federal money by March after Treasurer Scott Morrison decided a misused formula by the former state government meant the system had been overpaid.
The sum to be excised from Ballarat Health Services’ budget is estimated to be $1.85 million.
Ballarat Health Services declined to comment on the effects of the possible funding cut. Experts have said the first services affected are usually elective surgeries.
Victorian Australian Medical Association president Tony Bartone told Fairfax Media it would have an immediate effect on hospital operating budgets.
“Operating budgets and service levels are already well underway and the only way for hospitals to achieve these cuts will be to immediately and substantially reduce service provision," he said.
“In 2012 we saw the federal government cut $107 million from the Victorian health budget and the effects were immediate and severe. Thousands of elective surgeries were cancelled, operating theatres were closed, hospital beds were closed and hospital staff lost their jobs.”
A spokeswoman for Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy said that figure would mean 298 less elective surgeries per year at Ballarat, as funds are directed towards emergency care.
Ms Hennessy was alerted to the change on January 22 by the funding pool administrator, and a spokesman for Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley said the decision had been made in so other states and territories were not short-changed by $73 million.
Ballarat Health Services declined to comment on the effects of the possible funding cut. Experts have said the first services affected are usually elective surgeries.
Ms Hennessy has not ruled out making up the different with state funds.
Member for Ballarat and Shadow Health Minister Catherine King said a $1.85 million cut would be a further blow to Ballarat.
“Hospitals across the country are struggling to keep up with demand, there is no doubt with the Turnbull Government cutting funding from our hospital that waiting times for the emergency department and for elective surgery will go up. The staff at the Ballarat base Hospital do a terrific job but they can’t keep doing that without extra resources,” she said.
Ms Ley’s office explained why the decision had been taken in a statement on Friday.
“The Administrator of the National Health Funding Pool has advised the Commonwealth that Victoria submitted its hospital activity funding statement for 2013/14 outside of the agreed calculations within National Partnership Agreement on Improving Public Hospital Services.”