The Union’s campaign to highlight the growing crisis in pathology services is gaining strong momentum as members continue to sign the petition. With over 150 signatures so far we’re making progress on reaching our target of 1,000 signatures.
The continued cuts to healthcare by successive governments has resulted in many public pathology laboratories being contracted out to private providers only interested in making profits.
As a result of this race to the bottom, pathology standards set out in contracts with public hospitals are not being met with quality standards declining and turn-around times for some tests being allowed to increase.
You know like we do there are critical pathology tests being stripped out of local laboratories and sent to factory laboratories that can be several hours away in some cases. And usually includes the loss of well-paid local jobs and highly qualified staff.
The loss of local pathology testing can put other services at risk like the emergency department, obstetrics and paediatrics and oncology services. And it can have a devastating impact on public hospitals in regional Victoria, putting at risk their capacity to treat patients locally.
The Union is calling on the Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy, and the Andrews Labor Government to end the contracting out of pathology services; and ensure local public hospitals have fully functioning pathology laboratories staffed with a sufficient number of properly qualified scientists.
With already over 150 signatures we need your help to get to next milestone of 200 signatures. It will help us on our way to 1,000 medical scientists signing the petition so that the Government can’t ignore our voice on this critical health issue.
Download the petition and get your colleagues to sign it.
After you’ve filled up a page with signatures make sure you send the petition back to us at:
Level 1, 62 Lygon St
Carlton South VIC 3053
