Surgeries will be delayed, nurse and doctor numbers will decline and emergency department wait times will increase in Metro South, with the Turnbull Government cutting $28.86 million from local public hospitals from 2017-2020.

Mr Turnbull is cutting hundreds of millions out of Australia’s public hospitals between 2017- 2020, with Metro South's cut of $28.86 million equivalent to 8,014 cataract surgeries or 1,109 knee replacements.

Every public hospital in Metro South will be worse off, with the PAH alone losing  $13.08 million. 

Terri Butler MP said that it says it all about Mr Turnbull’s priorities, that he is happy to give big business a tax handout but won’t properly fund the Southside's public hospitals and give locals the health care they need.

“Every dollar cut from our local public hospitals is a dollar cut from our sickest and most vulnerable patients,” Terri Butler said.

“Our community isn’t going to our public hospitals because they want something to do – they are there because they desperately need health care to get back on their feet.

“They’re people waiting for hip surgery, knee replacements, and dealing with life-threatening health issues. “Access to health care should be determined by your Medicare card – not your credit card. But while Mr Turnbull prioritises defending big business and siding with the private health insurers, our public hospitals continue to be put last.”

“Labor created Medicare, we will always fight to protect Medicare and we will fight Turnbull’s $28.86 million cut to Metro South's hospitals.”

FRIDAY, 23 MARCH 2018