The picture may be AI-generated, but Bill Tilley’s white crosses were 100% political gold.
A political stoush of epic proportions is bubbling away in Albury-Wodonga where one local politician’s stunt has triggered a heated response from Victoria’s health minister.
Bill Tilley, the Liberal member for Benambra, caused a stir earlier yesterday when he planted 68 crosses on the nature strip outside Wodonga Hospital, one for each patient he said had died in 2022-23 while on the surgical waiting list at Albury Wodonga Health.
According to the redoubtable Border Mail, Mr Tilley waited until the day after the Victorian budget was delivered to pull the stunt, emphasising the lack of specified infrastructure funding allocated to AWH, which has had its issues of the past several months.
“You’ve got 68 families that have lost a loved one, 68 people that should never have died sitting on a hospital list and it’s completely unacceptable,” Mr Tilley was quoted as saying.
“When you see the commitment or the lack of commitment from the Victorian government in relation to our health service, it’s just an absolute disgrace.”
Mr Tilley came by the number 68 after asking a question on notice of Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas earlier this year.
In February Ms Thomas replied saying: “Of those who were removed from the planned surgery waiting list by reason of death, 68 were on the waiting list at Albury Wodonga Health and 16 were constituents of the Benambra electorate.”
Mr Tilley leapt on that and yesterday’s field of crosses was the result.
“We’re something in the order of 20% more deaths above the average than anywhere in the state of Victoria,” he said.
“It’s about 15 more deaths a year annually at Albury Wodonga Health than what are passing on waiting lists at any other part of Victoria. It’s completely unacceptable.”
Ms Thomas wasn’t going to let that slide, however.
Today she hit back, pointing out that it’s possible Mr Tilley may have taken some liberties with the numbers.
“Safer Care Victoria, which is set up to inquire into unexplained deaths in our health services, confirmed that not one of these people died as a consequence of not receiving planned surgery,” Ms Thomas fired back on ABC Goulburn Murray radio.
“There are a range of reasons why people may pass away and they may even be on a wait list for replacement hip or a cataract surgery, but it is not the cause of death and for Mr Tilley to continue this lie is deeply troubling.
“I’ve got to say the hard-working staff at Albury Wodonga Health are pretty sick and tired of their work and their health service being talked down by local politicians.”
To be fair to Mr Tilley, pulling stunts like this is about the only way to attract the attention of his fellow politicians, given the parlous state of debate over the redevelopment of the Albury-Wodonga Hospital.
Whatever works, right?
Other hospital news
In Queensland:
- Ramsay Health Care’s Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital has rolled out a new nurse-led implantable loop recorder (ILR) service. Nurse practitioner Tara Willcocks is the first RHC nurse in Australia to be trained to complete ILR procedures, which are traditionally performed by cardiologists. She has been trained by cardiologist Dr Stuart Butterly who operates at SCUPH. Dr Butterly said the program was designed to reduce patient wait times and enhance the patient experience, all while increasing the capacity of local cardiac services. “This nurse-led program will allow patients to be treated without delay and hopefully improve outcomes for those at-risk patients,” he said.
In NSW:
- The Illawarra Heart Health Centre is celebrating 10 years of helping the community during this year’s Heart Week (6-12 May) by bringing together staff and former patients to share their stories and reflect on their experiences with the service. The centre also included Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD’s cardiology clinical trials unit, which undertakes research into the prevention, detection, treatment, and management of cardiovascular disease.
- The new Tweed Valley Hospital is opening to patients at 8am on Tuesday, 14 May. On the same day the Tweed Valley Hospital opens to patients, The Tweed Hospital will close. All inpatients at The Tweed Hospital at the time of closing will also be transferred to the new hospital. This process is expected to take a full day, and is being coordinated in partnership with NSW Ambulance, NSW Police, Transport for NSW and Tweed Shire Council. Some community health services will continue to be delivered at the old site.