‘Postcode lottery’: Royal Melbourne locks out suburban and regional patients
The Royal Melbourne Hospital has restricted access to its specialist clinics to residents of three specific inner-city areas due to a surge in patient demand. General practitioners are criticizing the move, labeling it a 'postcode lottery' that undermines equitable healthcare access.
Why it matters
It illustrates the strain on public healthcare systems and the ethical dilemma of prioritizing local residents over broader community needs during a cost-of-living crisis.
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Share A A A A surge in patients criss-crossing Victoria to dodge lengthy hospital waiting lists has forced the Royal Melbourne Hospital to restrict access to its specialist clinics to residents of three inner-city areas.
GPs have hit out at the move, saying it will create a “postcode lottery” of healthcare and is at odds with a Department of Health policy that states hospitals must not reject referrals based on where a patient lives.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital in Parkville. Justin McManus Last year, the Royal Melbourne Hospital recorded a 21 per cent rise in people referred to its outpatient clinics, as an unprecedented number of Victorians sought specialist care in public hospitals due to the cost-of-living crisis and soaring private doctors’ fees.
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