Across Australia there appears to be a critical situation developing in some of the country's hospitals which is forcing doctors to speak out.
The crisis situation at Dubbo Base Hospital, in the central-west of New South Wales, has according to one doctor led to many medical professionals not being paid.
Dr. Dean Fisher, the chairman of the medical staff council at the hospital, has confirmed that funding problems have meant that many medical professionals have had to wait weeks and sometimes months to be paid for routine work and this has also affected other hospitals in the central-west.
In recent weeks there have been reports in the media of hospitals in the area running out of morphine, syringes and meat and fruit due to problems managing cashflow, which has resulted in suppliers cutting off supplies.
These reports have not been denied and while the issue has apparently now been addressed, it is a concern to the public that such a situation can be allowed to develop in the first place and reach such a level before action is taken.
NSW Health Minister, John Della Bosca, says he is working to improve the cashflow problems in the Greater Western Area Health service (GWAHS), and he is now seeking better collaboration between clinicians and management so that such breakdowns are not repeated.
One of those owed money by the GWAHS, Heartland Security, had threatened to stop protecting nurses at Parkes Hospital if its outstanding bill was not paid - they were paid $6,000 overnight but at one stage were owed $10,000 and are concerned that the same could happen again.
The GWAHS is responsible for around 50 hospitals in the state's west and reportedly owes approximately $23 million to about 6,500 creditors.
Things are no better in the west with doctors saying the Emergency Department at the Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) is struggling to cope because of overcrowding and a shortage of beds.