Claims Misrepresent Hospital's Indigenous ED Policy
St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne prioritises Indigenous patients over non-Indigenous patients only in less urgent emergency department categories. This prioritisation does not apply to severe or life-threatening cases, where medical urgency remains the primary factor.
AAP Fact Check Findings
Contrary to misleading social media claims, St Vincent's Hospital does not prioritise Indigenous patients over all others regardless of medical need. The policy specifically applies to less urgent admissions within the emergency department, ensuring that Indigenous patients receive preferential treatment only when clinical urgency is comparable.
Social Media Reactions
- One post claimed:
“Under this policy, if you are Aboriginal and present at an Emergency Department, you will be prioritised based on race first rather than the severity of your health condition or immediate medical need.”
- Another said:
“The stench of racism can be smelt in Victoria now.”
referring to the state's recently passed Indigenous treaty bill. - A third post stated:
“The recent hospital triage instruction where Aboriginal people were given priority access over all other patients tells everything you need to know.”
- Some posts linked the hospital policy directly to Victoria's Indigenous treaty legislation.
Context of the Policy
The claims surfaced during the week Victoria's parliament enacted a landmark Indigenous treaty bill, sparking debate and misinformation concerning Indigenous health policies at St Vincent's Hospital.
The hospital maintains that in urgent, severe, or life-threatening cases, medical severity governs treatment priority rather than Indigenous status.
“St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne's emergency department prioritises Indigenous patients in less urgent treatment categories over non-Indigenous patients in the same categories, but the policy does not apply to patients in urgent, severe or life-threatening categories.”
Author's Summary
The hospital's policy supports Indigenous health equity by prioritising less urgent cases fairly, without compromising care in emergencies or critical situations.
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