Member for Northern Victoria wants more support for new paediatric service

Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell has called on the Victorian Government to provide funding to support the establishment of a new paediatric service in Mooroopna which will provide a bulk-billed service onsite at the Mooroopna Integrated Early Learning Centre.

Due to commence on 1 February 2022, the service will be operated by two paediatricians as well as support staff. Ms Lovell has called on Victoria’s Minister for Health Martin Foley to provide funding of $30,000 to help establish the new paediatric service and provide recurrent funding of $2,000 each year to ensure the operation of the service into the future.

Although there are nine paediatricians based in the Goulburn Valley region, seven are based at GV Health and deal predominantly with hospitalised children and the demand for paediatric services in the area is overwhelmingly high. Patients regularly wait a minimum of six months for an initial consultation and in some cases up to two years.

Ms Lovell said that recent Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) data revealed that Greater Shepparton rates above the State average in many categories of childhood disadvantage including, physical disabilities, emotional problems, social deprivation, and communication.

“A bulk-billed paediatric service will be welcomed by families and I call on Minister Foley to provide initial funding to purchase equipment and recurrent funding to ensure its future operation.”

For more information about Mooroopna Integrated Early Learning please see here.