Mildura Hospital plans executive cutbacks amid emergency staffing concerns

Following the unexplained departure of CEO Terry Welch, Mildura Base Public Hospital announced a restructuring that would cut its executive board from seven members to five, aiming to boost decision-making and accountability. Acting chief executive Matthew Jukes confirmed that executive director Heath Kendall has taken a redundancy package. Concurrently, an anonymous emergency-department nurse warned that recent reductions in locum doctors and agency nurses are forcing staff onto double shifts, increasing sick leave and threatening patient care quality.

Hospital officials argue that staffing adjustments are part of a financially sustainable recruitment plan and deny any hiring freeze. Liberal MP Georgie Crozier highlighted the staffing shortfall during a parliamentary question period, while a health department spokesperson reiterated that services remain unaffected. The hospital serves the Sunraysia region of nearly 80,000 residents and faces ongoing pressure from high emergency-department volumes.