Staffing issues are threatening to undermine a $50 million dollar expansion of Victoria's largest children's hospital.
The new emergency department beds were promised under a $50 million upgrade of the Royal Children's Hospital announced by the state government in 2018.
Staff say they are damaged by this development, with some displaying signs around the emergency department as part of protected industrial action as pay negotiations continue.
The email said RCH executives had been supportive of staff concerns and said that only more staff could bring the beds online.
The hospital, the state health department and Health Minister Ingrid Stitt were contacted for comment but did not respond to specific questions about the funding issue.
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The email said RCH executives had been supportive of staff concerns and said only more staff could bring the beds online.
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Staffing issues are threatening to undermine a $50 million dollar expansion of Victoria's largest children's hospital.
Twenty new emergency beds at the Royal Children's Hospital will not be able to take patients because no funding was provided to staff them.
The new emergency department beds were promised under a $50 million upgrade of the Royal Children's Hospital announced by the state government in 2018.
The expansion is nearing completion, but hospital sources have told the ABC the new beds will not be operational because no more funding was provided for extra staff needed to operate them.
Staff say they are damaged by this development, with some displaying signs around the emergency department as part of protected industrial action as pay negotiations continue.
The email said that staff had spent years dealing with under-resourcing and rapidly demand that exceeded the number of patients the facility was built for.
The email said RCH executives had been supportive of staff concerns and said that only more staff could bring the beds online.
The Australian Medical Association of Victoria said it was aware of the situation and had spoken to concerned staff.
The hospital, the state health department and Health Minister Ingrid Stitt were contacted for comment but did not respond to specific questions about the funding issue.
An RCH spokesperson said the hospital was working with the health department to "provide improved access to emergency care for children and young people".
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