August 23, 2026 — 5:00am

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A surge in patients criss-crossing Victoria to dodge lengthy hospital waiting lists has forced the Royal Melbourne Hospital to restrict access to its specialist clinics to residents of three inner-city areas.

GPs have hit out at the move, saying it will create a “postcode lottery” of healthcare and is at odds with a Department of Health policy that states hospitals must not reject referrals based on where a patient lives.

Last year, the Royal Melbourne Hospital recorded a 21 per cent rise in people referred to its…

Read the full article at SMH.COM.AU