Royal Children's Hospital beds to go unused with no funding to staff them
A $50 million expansion of Victoria's main children's hospital is nearing completion, but sources say 20 new beds will not be operational because no funding has been provided for extra staff.
The Royal Children's Hospital in Victoria faces a staffing crisis that could render 20 new emergency beds unused, despite a $50 million dollar expansion. These beds, promised under a multi-million-dollar upgrade announced in 2018, will not be operational due to a lack of funding for additional staff. The hospital is now exploring options such as transferring staff from other areas to manage the beds.
Staff members are expressing their disappointment, with some displaying signs around the emergency department. They highlight that the department has below-average staffing and inadequate beds for a facility treating nearly 90,000 patients annually. The Australian Medical Association of Victoria has expressed concern over the situation, stating that the RCH is already underfunded and under-supported.
The hospital is working with the health department to improve access to emergency care for children and young people.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
