Nationals lay out state election promise

Deputy Leader of The Nationals Steph Ryan said Labor's mismanagement had spiralled into a healthcare crisis, with the number of urgent patients on Bendigo's waitlist nearly doubling in the past 12 months.

"Bans on elective surgery, the Code Brown forced on state-run hospitals, like Bendigo Health, and healthcare workforce shortages under Labor's mismanagement of the pandemic have meant even longer delays to Victorians getting the surgery they need," Ms Ryan said.

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"In one harrowing story an elderly man was left waiting 18 months for a hip replacement after his surgery was cancelled four times under the State Labor Government's healthcare bans.

"The medication he was on left him unable to eat. He lost 18kg and was suffering in excruciating physical pain. It got so bad his surgeon had to reclassify his need as 'life-threatening', it's only now - four months post-op - that his quality of life is starting to get back on track.

"Under The Nationals' plan to recover and rebuild Victoria there will be no more lockdowns and we'll provide certainty and security for families, small businesses and regional communities."

The state Nationals' election plan, named 'No more lockdowns. Recover. Rebuild.', promises an end to lockdowns and surgery waiting lists.

The state Nationals have been increasingly critical of the Victorian Labor government's response to the pandemic, despite Bendigo Health Code Brown Commander David Rosaia saying the emergency systems in place had helped the facility during the peak of the Omicron wave.

"With the 'Code Brown' we set-up emergency management systems, incident management response teams and we minimised some services to provide COVID resources," he said.

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"A lot of our staff within the theatre wards that normally catered for elective surgeries were redirected to areas of need such as the COVID and ICU wards, where we were having increased COVID presentations."

The public hospital is yet to confirm what the elective surgery resumption will look like in Bendigo, while St John of God private noted on Friday that the facility was prepared to restart the procedures.

In 2020-21, more people presented to Bendigo Health's emergency department than ever before

while Ambulance Victoria data shows December 2021 was its busiest quarter on record.

Ms Ryan said fixing healthcare waitlists was just one part of The Nationals' plan to rebuild Victoria.

"We will urgently address the gaps in our mental health system which is leaving people without help in a time of crisis," Ms Ryan said.

"We must keep our schools open after our children have lost months and months in the classroom.

"And despite being able to open their doors now, thousands of businesses and jobs have been destroyed and now need their government to swing in behind them to drive a strong recovery."

The Nationals 'Rebuild Victoria' plan can be viewed here.

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