Claims Misrepresent Hospital's Indigenous Emergency Department Policy
St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne prioritises Indigenous patients over non-Indigenous patients only in less urgent treatment categories. The policy does not apply to severe or life-threatening cases, where medical need remains the priority.
Fact Check Overview
A major city hospital has been falsely accused on social media of prioritising Indigenous patients regardless of the severity of their condition. St Vincent's Hospital clarifies that prioritisation based on Indigenous status is limited to less urgent admissions within the emergency department.
Social Media Claims
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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.
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The stench of racism can be smelt in Victoria now.
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The recent hospital triage instruction where aboriginal people were given priority access over all other patients tells everything you need to know.
Context
These claims surfaced during the same week Victoria's parliament passed a landmark Indigenous treaty bill. Some posts directly link the hospital's prioritisation policy to the state's new treaty legislation.
Hospital Policy Clarification
St Vincent's Hospital confirms their triage system prioritises Indigenous patients only within low-acuity categories, ensuring that urgent and life-threatening cases receive appropriate care irrespective of race.
“The policy does not apply to patients in urgent, severe or life-threatening categories.”
This approach aims to address health disparities in Indigenous communities without compromising emergency care standards.
Author's Summary
The hospital’s Indigenous prioritisation policy applies only to less urgent cases, ensuring medical need guides care in urgent situations, contrary to misleading social media claims.