THE future of the Balmoral Bush Nursing Centre (BBNC) has been put under a cloud after its Board expressed concern about financial sustainability in the lead up to their 100th anniversary next year.
Celebrating their 99th operational year this month, the centre – along with other bush nursing centres – has dealt with very high ratios of wages to operational costs, without the ability to raise additional revenue without further funding.
The BBNC has been battling with the current funding levels for over a decade and the draft budget projected a 20 per cent deficit for the forthcoming financial year.
The Centre delivers essential emergency and community services, reliant on State Government funding.
The recently-announced public sector Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) wage rise of 28.4 per cent over four years for nurses will further challenge bush nursing centres EBA negotiations.
Clinical Nursing Services provided through Balmoral Bush Nursing Centre include district nursing, palliative care, post-acute care, hospital in the home, wound care, domiciliary midwifery, immunisations, pathology, remote area nursing response to emergencies and urgent care.
They also facilitate telehealth appointments with external providers and emergency departments.
Over the past few years, BBNC have celebrated the opening for five capital and minor works projects that had been completed at the Centre, which was a culmination of a considerable amount of effort by the Board, staff, volunteers and BBNC partners who contributed to the projects through planning, consultation, fundraising, troubleshooting and hands-on hard work.
The projects completed were the BBNC/Ambulance Victoria colocation project in May 2021, the safety and security project and landscaping project in September 2021, an information technology upgrade project in May 2022, and a floor covering renewal project in August 2022.
Without the State Government committing to fully funding the bush nursing centres, the vital services provided could be at risk.
The Balmoral Bush Nursing Centre has prided itself on running a financially sustainable service but said the State Government needed to act to ensure that bush nursing centres can continue to provide vital healthcare and keep communities safe.
In respect of Western District Health Service and Casterton Memorial Hospital, dual chief executive, Rowena Clift said, “Western District Health Service is waiting for further advice from the Victorian Hospitals Industrial Association and the Department of Health, regarding the funding and implementation of the nursing EBA increases agreed to by the government last week.”
