State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleelend recently shared her views on an announced collaboration between Benalla Health and GV Health aimed at supporting local parents during childbirth and early parenthood.
Ms Cleeland, who has been advocating in parliament for the reinstatement of birthing services in Benalla, acknowledged the collaboration as progress but emphasised that it fell short of addressing the core issue.
A government spokesperson responded by pointing to the last Liberal-National government’s record on healthcare funding.
“The new collaboration between Benalla Health and GV Health will provide some welcome improvements for local families, with more comprehensive antenatal and postnatal support delivered closer to home,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Strengthening access to clinics, breastfeeding support and 24/7 midwifery assessments are all important steps forward for women during pregnancy and early parenthood.
“But while these changes are positive, the reality remains that Benalla still has no functioning birthing service.
“Expectant parents are being forced to travel to Shepparton to deliver their babies, which adds enormous pressure and stress to families at a time when continuity of care is most critical.
“For a town of Benalla’s size, this situation is completely inadequate and raises real concerns about whether birthing will ever be reinstated.
“Without local birthing, other crucial skills and services within the hospital are also put at risk.
“These are the consequences of Labor’s forced hospital amalgamations, which strip decision-making away from local communities and weaken smaller hospitals.
“I will continue to fight for the restoration of safe, continuous birthing services in Benalla so that families here can have the same access to care as other regional communities.”
When asked if birthing services would return to Benalla Health in the future, a government spokesperson would only confirm that maternity services would be available in the Rose City.
“The member for Euroa is once again having trouble with the truth,” the spokesperson said.
“Victorians will never forget when the Liberals and Nationals went to war with our paramedics, cut health services and stood by while their federal mates gutted primary care.
“Our local health service networks are already making a difference — helping hospitals to share information and resources better so that Victorians can access even better healthcare, closer to where they live
“Victoria’s health system is set up so families can access maternity services as close to home as possible.
“Benalla Health will continue to provide maternity services including important pre-conception, antenatal and post-natal care.”
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