NORTHERN Health, which runs Epping’s Northern Hospital, has reported the biggest loss of Melbourne’s 14 health services, with a deficit of $5.2 million.
Its 2011-12 annual report reveals the loss comes as executive salaries jumped more than $300,000 to $1.8 million and the number of executives rose from seven to eight.
The top paid salary rose from between $340,000 and $349,999 to a maximum of $359,999, while four executives were paid between $200,000 and $259,000. The lowest was paid between $160,000 and $169,000.
Responding on why the hospital budget blew out, Northern Health’s chief executive Greg Pullen said: “Northern Health services a rapidly growing, complex and diverse community in Melbourne’s north, with Whittlesea the fastest-growing LGA (local government area) in Australia.
“Our emergency department is one of the busiest in Victoria, treating more than 1300 patients per week.”
He said that after “an 8 per cent increase in funding in the 2012-13 financial year we are budgeting to break-even in 2012-13”.
“Over the coming years Northern Health will invest in infrastructure such as $34.4 million to develop a state-of-the-art teaching, training and research precinct due to commence in February 2013, and is about to open a new operating theatre facility.”
Opposition health spokesman Gavin Jennings blamed the Baillieu government, for “placing unprecedented pressure on frontline services”.
“The hospital is operating a $5.2 million deficit and clearly, patient care has been affected,” he said. “It missed its 80 per cent target of transferring emergency patients to an in-patient bed within eight hours by 22 per cent.
