I personally witnessed the pressures of the Ballarat Base Hospital early this week when I was taken by ambulance to the emergency department for underlying heart problems.
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I was astounded by the amount of pressure these hard-working soldiers of health are put under with at least 30-40 patients in the emergency wards and another 50 awaiting treatment.
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I suddenly thought how brave and special these doctors and nurses - including the ambulance drivers - are to be on call, day and night, forever and a day.
HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW.
It occurred to me that these departments are hopelessly under-resourced which, in turn, means lives are certainly at risk when health staff and financial resources are nowhere near the optimum for a city the size of Ballarat.
While I admire the training all these specialist health workers have achieved in protecting the weak, aged, sick and totally dependent on care, it seems an unjustified reality that our health system is far from coping with the reality of priority on government standards.
Health is the priority and should never be under-resourced when governments can literally waste millions in obscure giveaways to unrelated preferences.
I feel for these health workers, especially in that emergency department where the time admitted can be the critical point between saving lives depending on timely precious treatment.
Health should never be under-resourced. Our taxes need to be better-utilised in proportion to our health services.
Noel Orval, Delacombe
