Beds and theatres lying dormant in Victorian hospitals would be operational under a Labor government, the opposition has pledged.
Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews says Labor will inject $200 million into reopening beds if elected, to take pressure off emergency departments.
The money would flow after a statewide census of hospital and theatre capacity, to be conducted by former Australian Medical Association Victorian boss Dr Doug Travis.
Mr Andrews said the $200 million was mainly for staffing nurses and doctors after unused beds and theatres across the state had been found and evaluated.
He said it was an unprecedented approach to the issue, and would stop backed-up ambulances being unable to attend emergencies.
“If beds remain empty while emergency departments remain full … then people’s safety is comprised and ultimately Victorians die,” Mr Andrews told reporters.
Dr Travis would release an interim report on his findings in March and a full report by the end of the 2014/15 financial year, after moving through hospitals to find beds that are not being used.
He said reopening the beds was vital for patient treatment.
“I know from years of experience we have empty operating rooms, we have empty beds sitting around in the system and the quickest way we can get more people treated is to find them and identify them … and then get on and most importantly fund that treatment,” Dr Travis told reporters.
The coalition promised to deliver 800 new hospital beds and AMA Victoria has called on the government to release data indicating which hospitals have received them.
Dr Travis said there was no way of measuring whether there were 800 extra beds or not.
Premier Denis Napthine said the government made sure the beds were delivered.
“And we’re spending $4.5 billion building new hospitals right across the length and breadth of Victoria,” he told reporters.
He said Labor’s announcement was nonsense, and hospitals were operating very efficiently with a reduced elective surgery waiting list and more patients treated in emergency departments and surgeries under the government’s record budget.
“There is certainly a hospital system that is working efficiently and effectively in the best interests of Victorians,” Dr Napthine said.