A Melton pensioner is leading a push for an overhaul of Victoria’s health sector.
Pat Warriner, secretary of the Combined Pensioners Association (CPA), said something drastic needed to be done to improve services following her own experiences and those of others she knows.
The CPA is urging state and federal governments to immediately increase staff for health services, including hospitals.
Mrs Warriner said while the push was started to help pensioners, it was about making services better for everyone.
“Unless you have money you don’t get anything,” she said. “I have watched my husband have cancer, four heart attacks and now cataracts. He has been waiting two years for treatment for the cataracts.
“While you wait, things get worse. More and more are having to wait more than the 365 days for treatment and for many people it’s close to two years.”
Mrs Warriner said Melton’s biggest need was getting its own hospital.
“You have to go to Sunshine Hospital and end up waiting six to seven hours. I know one person who went there for iron injections and she waited seven hours to be told that they could not do it and to return to Melton.”
Mrs Warriner said not enough money was being spent to allow nurses and doctors to do their jobs properly.
“I’ve spoken to nurses, [Health Minister] David Davis, [Opposition Leader] Daniel Andrews and [Melton MP] Don Nardella.
“Davis was fair, but it has to be more than him. I have never seen Victoria in this predicament health-wise.
“We sort of need to get together all sides of Parliament at both levels and say enough is enough.”
Ms Warriner said a CPA petition already had more than 500 signatures, with support from around Australia. “We are having a rally at [State] Parliament on March 26 and will hand the petition to a minister then.”
TARA MURRAY
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