RCH Colorectal
19th February 2025
I rise today to speak on Mrs McArthur’s motion on safeguarding the future of the Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction Service (CPRS) program at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH). The essential care provided to children with these complex colorectal conditions at RCH is vital to our state.
We as Victorians, should be proud to be the national leader in healthcare and healthcare services. I want to thank my good colleague opposite, Mrs McArthur, for bringing this motion into the chamber today. And I also want to note her genuine interest in this important matter, and matter that affects so many in Victoria.
And I want to begin by stating that the Government will not oppose the motion. A child born with an anorectal malformation or Hirschsprung disease has the condition for life. Despite reconstructive surgery, these children may suffer from life-long health issues which have the potential to significantly impact upon their quality of life.
In 2019 the service received one-off federal government project funding. This funding was used to deliver improvements that will have a long-lasting impact on the model of care that the RCH delivers. This has so far enabled them to provide families with not only the surgical care their child requires, but ongoing support in terms of their nursing and psychosocial needs.
The Royal Children’s Hospital has always provided exceptional care to patients with these conditions. I feel confident that there are no cuts to the outstanding level of surgical care and wraparound services that The Royal Children’s Hospital currently provides. I am assured there will be no changes to the quality of core medical care that patients with complex colorectal and pelvic conditions receive.
Community health and safety is a priority of this government. Our history shows it.
This motion sets out some very important elements:
It acknowledges, and I quote, that the Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction Service (CPRS) at The Royal Children’s Hospital is a world-class, patient-specific surgical, nursing and allied health service that provides comprehensive and innovative care for children and their families affected by anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung disease and chronic constipation.
It also acknowledges that the CPRS provides specialised outpatient clinics including nurse-led bowel management, stoma therapy, and a psychology clinic to support families in reducing the psychosocial impacts.
And the increasing number of patients treated by CPRS alleviates a significant burden on other health services in Melbourne and regional Victoria, as they lack the expertise to handle complex colorectal conditions.
I agree. Victoria’s health system is one of the best in the world. And that is thanks to this government.
In 2019-20, the Royal Children's Hospital received $481.38 million from the Andrews Labor Government. To do what they do best—provide the world-class care that children need. Patients travel from across Victoria, as well as from other Australian states, to access the Royal Children’s Hospitals world renowned services.
But we know we cannot rest.
An independent Expert Advisory Committee was established in 2023 to consider how to improve access to our health services for all Victorians. To provide a solution, the committee developed the Health Services Plan.
The plan recommended more collaboration and connection between services by creating Local Health Service Networks. And because the Allan Labor Government is about putting patients first, that is what we have and will continue to do.
The Health Services Plan, released in August 2024, sets out our government’s vision for a better connected, easier to access health system for all Victorians.
Delivering Victorians a better-connected health system backed by record investments. One that ensures patients get the care that they need. Sooner - and in their own communities.
The Allan Labor Government made a record investment of more than $21 billion in the Victorian Budget 2024/25. This will help health services meet increased demand, deliver more planned surgeries and support the dedicated workforce.
This will be achieved through key pillars of reform. The establishment of Local Health Service Networks will group health services within a geographical region. These will be responsible for delivering better care, as close to home as possible.
This will ensure that the planning and management of care meets the population health needs of their communities.
The Networks will enable health services to work better together to deliver more accessible, higher quality care for Victorians.
This includes coordinating clinical services and attracting and retaining a skilled, well-equipped workforce.
The Networks will aim to deliver a system that is easier to navigate.
With more consistent pathways between hospitals.
Better and more consistent support for our valuable health workforce.
And less duplication of administration.
So that our hospitals can focus on what it is that they do best.
And that's caring for patients.
Each health service will keep its name, its local leadership, its own identity and connection to its community
But they will collaborate in a Network to provide greater access to services and closer to home.
This means that expertise will be easily shared across the region.
Additionally, the formalisation of relationships between a major tertiary, a women’s and a children’s hospital will support better access to high complexity care and expertise.
This will ensure every Victorian has seamless access to specialist care and expertise when they need it.
A Victorian Role Delineation Framework will support this collaboration across the system.
By setting out the roles and responsibilities of every health service site as aligned to their size and capability.
These reforms will deliver even better care by supporting health services to work together and ensuring local voices are heard.
This comprehensive and multidisciplinary care model in Melbourne is world leading.
President, just last year we delivered record investment across the system to all hospitals, including the Royal Children’s Hospital.
For them, that meant investing $56.4 million to expand the existing Emergency Department.
And it meant delivering a new 30 bed impatient unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
This expansion helps meet the increasing demand through the expansion of acute pediatric beds and emergency department services.
And this first stage of the expansion is already treating patients with a range of different illnesses, including cancer.
These services are designed to strengthen collaboration between an integrated team of health professionals - including nurses, psychologists, social workers, child life therapists and care coordinators.
This enables all the care and support that patients and their families need as they grow and eventually transition to adult services to be provided together in one place.
We have shown that we will continue to back our nurses, our doctors and our paramedics.
We have proven we will back them with the funding that they need.
We have provided our hospitals with more funding than ever before to treat more patients than ever before.
We have made record investments in the state’s healthcare workforce
Including through our scholarships and our $32 million Trainee GP grants program to cover the cost of studies
As well as the recruitment of more than 3000 overseas doctors, nurses, midwives and other health professionals.
Alongside that record investment in our doctors, nurses and paramedics, we also invest in building new hospitals.
We have provided the most significant investment in our public health system in this state - a far cry from those who privatised our hospitals.
Our $20 billion investment into our hospitals in 2024 alone proves our dedication to providing our health services with the funding that they need.
The funding to deliver the care and services that their communities expect.
We have delivered an uplift in price to every health service in the state.
Because that is what our health services asked.
And we are a government that listens.
Clearly, our world-class health system is built on a decade of consistent investment in hospitals.
We know that Victorians deserve nothing less.
We know they deserve right now, in the right place, and at the right time: a world-class health system.
Providing this standard of health care became more challenging since the pandemic.
We know that every cent invested in health is absolutely justified.
Especially when it comes to the health of our great State.
Of our great community.
Costs differ for a range of complex reasons across our health service system.
As the Minister for Health pointed out in November, reasons include patient acuity, labour costs statewide and specialist services.
But this government does not cut corners when it comes to health.
And it absolutely does not cut corners when it comes to health spending.
These investments have had and will continue to have measurable positive impacts.
On both the physical and emotional health of children and families across the community.
President, Victoria is a place where everyone can and should feel protected.
This is why it is important to commit to safeguarding the long-term future of our healthcare system.
And as long as there is a Labor Government in power, we will strive to ensure the utmost care of our communities under the jurisdiction of the state.
At the forefront of our health system reforms and investments is Victorian patients and staff
This government has introduced a range of measures over its time in office to ensure this.
Let me be clear that this government is doing the vital work that needs to be done
To support our vulnerable children and families in need
And to keep Victoria’s healthcare system running at full strength.
And we will be continuing to do so for many, many years to come.
I thank Mrs McArthur for the motion.