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4.51pm Thursday 25 February 2010- Eden Magnet Dear Carmel: Letter to health minister on wayAt Tuesdays council meeting a notice of motion supporting the full return of all health services to Pambula District Hospital - including maternity - was passed. The motion was proposed by Cr Fitzpatrick and seconded by Cr Wykes. The motion, passed with five ‘for’ and four ‘against’, reads: “That Bega Valley Shire Council request from the Minister for Health:
Pending such timelines, that Bega Valley Shire Council further request Greater Southern Area Health to fully resource and return all services to Pambula District Hospital immediately, including Maternity Services and Surgical Lists, until the new Bega Valley Regional Hospital is opened.” Editor: Congratulations Russell! But why has it taken 15 months for Bega Valley Shire Council Council to take this stand. 8.54am Thursday 25 February 2010 Save Our Hospital Inc Launches TV ad Campaign.Wednesday evening 24 February 2010 saw a large and enthusiastic crowd gather at the Merimbula Cinema for the launch of a new publicity campaign that aims to change government attitudes regarding the future of the Pambula District Hospital. On 15 November 2009 some 3000 local participants rallying in support of the hospital were filmed by four crews. Since that time editors have been busy cutting and splicing footage. Their efforts now describe fervent community outrage surrounding the downgrading of health services and the closure of the maternity unit at Pambula Hospital. Four biting criticisms of the NSW Government’s cost-cutting demolition of maternity services and several longer versions showing community solidarity behind Save Our Hospital Inc. were screened at the launch. Each segment was greeted with tumultuous applause. Prepared for both TV and cinema the campaign will go to air on 1 March. With the support of WIN TV management the ads will be seen across the WIN viewing area. Politicians and bureaucrats responsible for cuts to health services on the Far South Coast were told in 2009 of plans to stage this publicity campaign but showed little interest. 1.15pm Sunday 14 February 2010 - MNW - Amanda Stroud
2.31pm Friday 12 February 2010 – Michelle Pettigrove March onto the Big Screen!Save Our Hospital Inc. is excited to announce the launch of the advertising campaign designed to bring awareness to the plight of rural hospitals, specifically Pambula Hospital. A gala premiere evening will be held at The Picture Show Man Twin Cinemas in Merimbula on Wednesday the 24th of February at 6:30pm. The night will kick off with a viewing of the footage filmed on the day of the protest march held November 15th 2009, to give everyone involved the opportunity to see their contribution on the big screen! Following the protest march footage, there will be a sneak preview of the raft of commercials to be broadcast in rotation on the WIN Network starting March 1st. The viewing of the ads will be followed by the premier screening of the multi-Oscar nominated ‘Invictus’; the new Clint Eastwood film starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman, depicting the rise of Nelson Mandela to the South African presidency. This moving film is rated PG and promises to complete a night full of community celebration and the potential of people power. A huge thankyou goes out to all those people and businesses who contributed to making this advertising campaign such a success. The support of the community has been overwhelming and passionate. The camera crews not only donated their time and skills on the day, but worked unpaid, for months leading up to the march and in the painstaking post-production editing. In particular, the work of Brent Occleshaw, Paul McIver, Shawn Keane, James Coleman, Pete Carew-Reid and Wes Hetherington needs to be acknowledged. This community is indeed very fortunate to have such talented and caring people in our midst. A big thanks also goes to WIN TV who have joined the fight and have generously covered the costs of formatting and rating the ads ready for broadcast. They have also offered a remarkable dollar-for-dollar deal, and extended the campaign’s exposure footprint to cover the Canberra region. This ensures that the message reaches a much larger audience for a much longer period of time. Tickets to the Premiere are just $20 and include full membership to SOH Inc, (valued at $12), the feature screening of ‘Invictus’, (valued at $12), and the joy of seeing yourself on the silver screen standing up for what you believe in, (value: priceless!) Tickets are available at The Picture Show Man but get in quickly as there are a limited number of seats, and there were a LOT of people involved on the day of the march. See you at the movies! 2.35pm Friday 05 February 2010 - MNW Teen Dental Plan: GSAHS involvement questioned.The article "Teen dental plan" MNW January 27 requires further editorial and reader scrutiny of the background issues. Firstly, the intent of the Teen Dental Plan (established by the Federal Government) was to take pressure off the State Government health services. The Greater Southern Area Health Service (GSAHS) has not had a permanent dentist at Pambula for many years, so why are they looking for more work by advertising the Teen Dental Plan? Secondly, where will the GSAHS use the federal money raised by these vouchers? Will it be used to extend the dental budget? Also where has the money gone which would have been allocated over the years for a dentist? Is the dental budget being cannibalised? Thirdly, the GSAHS is now prepared to receive a co-payment for dental services from the Federal Government, so why not directly from the public, as is the case in Victoria? Fourthly, originally, the role of school dental therapists was to help treat simple cases in primary school children. Later, this role was extended to preschool children and young adults up to 16 years of age. This article shows that the dental therapist's role is being expanded again. Lastly, the Teen Dental Plan is for checkup only, so if the dental therapist finds any requirement for complex work, there is no dentist at the Pambula Community Centre to help. When will the GSAHS provide our community with the services of a dentist? Grant Keogh 3.11pm Tuesday 02 February 2010 Carolyn's empassioned plea to Minister KellyDear Minister Kelly I write in support of the Save Pambula Hospital campaigners fighting for the basic right of retaining their access to healthcare services for their town. I do not live in a regional area of Australia like Pambula any longer; my parents moved our family from a farm near the Lachlan River after a bad drought followed by floods, to the Nation's capital to ensure that my three brothers, my sister and I had education and employment opportunities. My parents also were able to find secure full-time employment, finished their high school educations and find support from other Vietnam Veteran families in Canberra, some who had served with my father at Vung Tau in 1969. I am an ALP member, I campaigned in Eden Monaro during the successful 2007 election, door-knocking in Queanbeyan and Cooma, captained a polling booth in Queanbeyan on your election day and helped out on many fundraising activities through-out Eden Monaro. I also worked with Queanbeyan's Your Rights At Work activist group EMPOWER (Eden-Monaro People Only Want Employment Rights) in Braidwood and South Coast townships as well. As a Minister I supported in 2007, could you please advise me on your position on fair and equitable access to healthcare for all Australians regardless of their socioeconomic status? And if you can help save Pambula's hospital, even given this is not a Federal matter? Your opinions would be much appreciated to help me in conversations with your voters about why they should vote for you again in the up-coming Federal election. I live in Canberra, the nation's capital; any other capital city in the world would be able to treat my aggressive adenocarcinoma five years ago. Instead I had to go to Sydney for treatment leaving behind my family during the scariest time of my life. My 87 year old grandmother was living completely independently until my parents and I had to drive to Cowra when she was ill and bring her to the Canberra hospital. She remains here away from the rest of her family and friends after two years battling a failing kidney she was given 10 days to survive 2 years ago. On arrival to the hospital she waited 12 hours lying on a plastic chair in emergency for a doctor to help. She since has had to move to a high-care aged people's home after a few months in Pallative Care. My cousin, a 61 year old priest in the Borowra parish, suffered a stroke in December and was brought to Canberra Hospital for treatment; after he hadn't received the urgently critical treatment required to recover after two weeks waiting, another of my cousins who luckily enough has just become a physiotherapist, came from Wollongong to get him treated in a hospital there. I believe ALP members are responsible for what once was one of the best healthcare systems in the world, and that the Government must act to help fund the failing system my family, friends and I have experienced for too many years. Once you have experienced the current healthcare as a patient, you can only hope that our Labor Federal Government can step in to help State and Territory Governments improve our hospitals so scarily close to the quality of developing countries with no resources at all. And that our local Federal Members can help save regional hospitals like Pambula's from closure in any way possible. Yours sincerely Carolyn Beath (email provided) 6.31pm Thursday 28 January 2010 Assassination By Stealth At Pambula District HospitalThe image portrayed to the media by Ken Barnett, Eastern Sector Manager for Greater Southern Area Health Service ( GSAHS ), is that everything is happy and on track with health delivery services for the Bega Valley Shire in New South Wales. I am sorry to disappoint you, Greater Southern Area Health Service. Your entrenched bureaucratic, self-survival tactics of protecting a failing health system only enhances your ignorance of what is simply right and just for the strong and supportive base behind the full restoration of health delivery services including maternity at our local rural hospital, Pambula District Hospital. The hole you dig, GSAHS, continues to get deeper and deeper. Those in power are not listening to their local communities over health care issues no matter whether it is rural or metropolitan. 22062 petition signatures from this region and beyond unquestionably supports PDH as a totally unique rural health setting with 9 Visiting Medical Officers including 4 GP Obstetricians. GSAHS is now telling us that a recruitment drive to fill the dangerous void for more rural doctors, including obstetricians, has been underway for some time without success. GSAHS is no nearer to their recruitment goal targets within the near future. This means more expense to the ordinary taxpayer on the usage of locums and recruitment on-costs. The entrenched one birthing model for the Bega Valley Shire was overwhelmingly based on a flawed and contradictory report. Future mothers are still being placed in a precarious position in relation to birthing matters within our region and beyond. The actual reason for the ill conceived approach by GSAHS is the purpose driven denial of the professional rights for our 9 Visiting Medical Officers which includes 4 Obstetricians to carry out the full range of their rural doctors’ well trained skills and caring manners including maternity at PDH. The public should be reminded that the deliberate restraints imposed by GSAHS on our 9 Visiting Medical Officers is part of a self destructive plan designed for PDH by GSAHS in restricting the usage of their highly trained practical skills and knowledge particularly in maternity. Let’s not forget the 8 Mid-Wives that GSAHS have carefully alienated from PDH. As a result of the discrimination against the human rights of our local rural/regional women, PDH has been placed at the forefront of maternity services for Australian Rural Women gaining a very strong national and international focus. This current situation presents a real case of discrimination at a worldwide level. The flame of Save Our Hospital Inc. (formerly Save Our Pambula Hospital Action Group ) still burns brightly. In fact thanks to GSAHS our flame has reached new heights. As our Federal Member for Eden-Monaro, Dr Mike Kelly, expressed at his recent National Health Reform Forum in Merimbula, New South Wales, the Save Pambula Hospital Action Group was the most well informed and well known group involved with health care issues that impact on ordinary Australians. So the assassination by stealth tactics of GSAHS only encourages real Australians to support fellow Australians to fight with their true “Anzac”spirit on what is right and just for all Australians on a failing health system. In addition the national media and beyond will no doubt pick up on the ill-founded and unrelenting bureaucratic forced deception of GSAHS towards the public on health issues. If you are concerned over our degraded Australian health system , no matter whether you live in Australia or overseas, please contact SOHInc.. Yours sincerely 2.10pm Wednesday 27 January 2010 - ABC On Line - Tim Holt ABC South East NSW and Adam Spencer ABC Sydney Concerns Continue Over Maternity ServicesFrustration is building over health services in the Bega Valley despite a recent meeting between Pambula Hospital staff and the Area's Health Service. Staff told representatives from the Greater Southern Area Health Service that the Bega Hospital isunder severe strain yet Pambula Hospital remains underutilised. Concerned citizens were also at the meeting, including hospital campaigner Frankie J Holden who was critical of the outcomes, claiming the resulting media release from GSAHS is one of inaccuracies, misrepresentations and spin. Greater Southern Area Health Service declined our invitation to participate in today's conversation but we shall continue to seek a response. Listen to the interview now.
2.10pm Wednesday 27 January 2010 - MNW - Denise Dion Frustration is the diagnosis on the condition of local healthWhile most members of Save Our Hospital Inc (SOHI) were glad of the opportunity to speak with Greater Southern Area Health Service’s (GSAHS) eastern sector manager, Ken Barnett, all of them admitted to coming away frustrated by the answers to their questions on the return of services to Pambula Hospital and the “spin” in relation to maternity services at Bega Hospital. The meeting took place at Bega Valley Shire Council chambers on Friday, January 22 and was attended by the committee of SOHI and councillors who questioned Mr Barnett about health services in the area. GSAHS had recently issued a media release purporting to demonstrate that it had met 12 out of 13 recommendations for health services in the area, but the SOHI committee members hotly disputed all of the points (See story Page 7) and put the update on the 2008 BVS maternity services review report recommendations at the top of their list of questions for Mr Barnett. 2.02pm Wednesday 27 January 2010 - MNW - Editorial - Liz McCormick Spin doctors caught outGovernment departments are the masters of spin and the Greater Southern Area Health Service has been caught red-handed at this tactic of political puffery. It has further damaged the credibility of GSAHS, which has a poor reputation in the community as it is. The old adage rings true: “Honesty is the best policy” as invariably the truth will out. The media release that sees the GSHAS patting itself on the back for accomplishing the 12 recommendations contained within the review of maternity services in the Bega Valley Shire has been torn apart by local doctors and the Save Our Hospital Inc (SOHI) members. They have identified a number of inaccuracies, misinformation and to put it bluntly have derided the document as nothing but spin. This further destabilises a tenuous relationship at best between GSAHS and the community. The withdrawal of maternity services from the Pambula District Hospital in September 2008 set alight the two-year campaign to save the Pambula hospital and lobby for improved health services for the Bega Valley Shire. It is an issue that has provoked an outpouring of concern from the community and a passionate resolve to restore services to the hospital while the wait for a new hospital at Bega stretches into eternity. The community is entitled to know the truth and we believe on this occasion it may not have been the case. It is symptomatic of the treatment afforded to the community by the bureaucrats. No wonder we all have dints in our foreheads - it’s from constantly hitting a brick wall - trying to extract the truth from bureaucrats and politicians. 3.13pm Tuesday 26 January 2010 - Bega District News - Steve Strevens ‘Fix the problem’The Greater Southern Area Health Service has been told to “fix the problem” of medical staffing resources in the Bega Valley. At a passionate but restrained meeting on Friday, Save Our Hospital (formerly Save Pambula Hospital) spokesperson Frankie J Holden at one stage told GSAHS eastern sector general manager Ken Barnett that “all problems are fixable”. “The problem we face as a lobbying group is that we go to the minister and he hides behind you guys and we go to you and you hide behind the minister and say we can’t do anything because our hands are tied,” Mr Holden said. “So where do we go; how do we improve the situation? “Why are nurses leaving the industry, why are they demoralised? “Somebody should be asking these questions and you have the ear of people further up the chain than we do so I‘d like to see these question being asked on a state and national basis. “I don’t buy that it’s a lack of funds. While we have the money to blow $10 million on fireworks on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, we don’t have a money problem. “It’s a matter of resources and political proprieties and that’s why I want you to get a sense of our frustration. “Don’t put up with second rate; don’t say there a resource problem - fix the resource problem, it’s all fixable.” 12.15pm Monday 25 January 2010 - Save Our Hospital Inc. - Date: 25TH January 2010 - Media Release INACCURACIES, MISREPRESENTATIONS AND SPIN THE TRUTH BEHIND THE GSAHS MEDIA RELEASE MATERNITY SERVICES IN BEGA VALLEY NOT VIABLE, SAFE OR SUSTAINABLE On Friday, January 22 Ken Barnett, Eastern Sector General Manager of the Greater Southern Area Health Service issued a media release to publicize the ‘achievements’ of the GSAHS in implementing 12 of 13 recommendations of a 2008 independent assessment into the Bega Valley Maternity Service. (Of these recommendations, numbers 3,4,9 and 10 were also contained in a 2005 review of maternity services.) Many of the assertions in the media release are not accurate, contain misinformation and what is colloquially known as ‘spin’. SAVE OUR HOSPITAL INC. (SOHI) would urge all media outlets, residents of, and visitors to the Bega Valley Shire to examine more closely the content of Mr. Barnett’s statements. Below, each recommendation is numbered, with a statement from GSAHS indicating their view of the outcome. SOHI’s response is then outlined. 1. All obstetric services should operate from a single site at Bega Hospital.
2. A senior specialist or general practitioner obstetrician should be engaged for a period of three months to oversee the implementation of the changes.
3. A new position of Clinical Midwifery Consultant should be established for the Eastern Sector, with the initial responsibility directed towards implementing the above recommended changes. (Also recommended in the 2005 review)
4. A program of education and up-skilling for midwives should be implemented. (Also recommended in the 2005 review)
5. The maternity service should be adequately staffed, with one midwife and a second appropriately trained nurse at all times dedicated to the service.
6. Pambula midwives should be consulted individually to identify and, if possible, overcome, barriers to their relocation to Bega.
7. Beds should be dedicated to the obstetric service, with the three delivery suites used only for delivery, and dedicated postnatal beds.
8. Antenatal and postnatal care should be provided from multiple sites across the area.
9. The postnatal outreach service should be expanded to ensure access for all mothers. (Also recommended in the 2005 review)
10. A mechanism to ensure a strong clinician and consumer voice in the planning of maternity facilities in the new hospital should be identified, either as a separate Maternity Advisory Group or a subgroup of the Bega Valley Health Advisory Council. This group should also monitor progress of and satisfaction with implementation of the recommendations of this report. (Also recommended in the 2005 review)
11. Issues of concern such as: privacy, a partner- and family-friendly service and quality of food, should be addressed.
12. The Bega Valley should not attempt to recruit a permanent solo specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist, but should maintain a close relationship with obstetricians at The Canberra Hospital.
13.The outstanding recommendation, that extra doctors should be recruited to assist with the after-hours roster at Bega Hospital, remains a priority.
GSAHS has failed abysmally in this area. Instead of recruiting additional practitioners, they have overseen the reduction of local obstetric qualified doctors to ZERO. The key recommendation contained in the review not only has not been met, it has been reversed. The GSAHS model for birthing practises in The Bega Valley Shire is therefore not viable or sustainable, according to the Maternity Review upon which its actions are based. This situation has been brought about entirely by the actions and mismanagement of the GSAHS. In downgrading maternity services at Pambula Hospital, they have placed immeasurable pressure on the staff and facilities at Bega Hospital, and have done nothing to alleviate that pressure. The simplest, safest and most cost effective option is to re-open maternity services at Pambula Hospital where the skills of 4 experienced GP/obstetricians and 3 senior midwives are currently being wasted. A humidicrib and a neo-natal resuscitation trolley are gathering dust. Other maternity infrastructure items removed from Pambula Hospital are now in storerooms at Bega Hospital and could be easily re-instated. Yet GSAHS refuse to consider this common sense response to a situation of their own making. We, as taxpayers, as voters, as Australians, are surely entitled to have this question answered: Why won’t you re-open maternity services at Pambula Hospital? The GSAHS press release concludes by saying that Mr. Barnett is “extremely pleased”. Well, we’re not. And neither should the authors of the Independent Assessment of Maternity Services in The Bega Valley, whose recommendations he has been paid to implement, and has failed. Of the above reccomendations contained in the 2008 Maternity Services Review, numbers 3,4,9 and 10 were also part of the 2005 Maternity Services Review. So not only have GSAHS failed to implement the recommendations, it has taken them a long time not to do so. The most frightening aspect of all this is that this is just one in a long, long, list where Area Health Services have failed their constituents: the public. For more information, visit our newest addition to this website - the NSW Rural Health Alliance. Media Enquiries: Frankie J Holden 0429059813 frankiejholden@optusnet.com.au SAVE OUR HOSPITAL INC. ABN 41 974 891 175 11.24am Saturday 23 January 2010 BEGA VALLEY HEALTH… THE FIGHT CONTINUES2010 will be a challenging and exciting year in the fight to restore adequate health services to the Bega Valley Shire. As this goes to print, we are 14 months out from the NSW State election, with a Federal election around the corner. The challenge facing residents of the Shire is to focus the minds of bureaucrats and politicians of all political persuasions, at all levels of government on the dire state of rural health. No amount of political spin or number crunching can disguise the fact that rural health has suffered an alarming and unacceptable reduction in standards and accountability. Health delivery in many rural and regional communities has been decimated. Doctors are disillusioned, nursing staff morale is at an all-time low and patient care is marginal. That there haven’t been multiple lives lost is due to the dedication of overworked staff, and to plain good luck. That good luck won’t last forever. It is not good enough to rely on politicians’ promises about what may or may not happen in the future. We need remedial action NOW. NOW is the time to recharge our energies and refocus our attention. To those ends, there have been some changes to the Save Pambula Hospital Group. An important recent development has been the incorporation of the group, which will now be known as Save Our Hospital Inc. This affords the group increased scope to generate funds, and gives it formal recognition as a properly constituted entity with specific aims, objectives and responsibilities, chief of which is to improve health services to the entire Bega Valley Shire, including both Bega and Pambula Hospitals. Positions in the new incorporated group have been filled as follows: President: Geoff Dove Vice President : Sharon Tapscott
If you would like to continue your support of Save Our Hospital Inc. you are invited to become a financial member. The more members we have, the more power we have in pursuing our goals. Your membership fee will be used directly to increase the profile and effectiveness of our campaign this year. After a mere $2 registration fee, the cost of joining is either $10 annual subscription for full membership including voting rights or $5 for associate membership (no voting rights) or $5 for pension and concession card holders. Click to download a membership form. The first general meeting of S.O.H.I. and the first opportunity to become a financial member of the group is scheduled for 6:00pm February 1st at the Royal Willows Hotel, Pambula. Everyone is welcome to attend. Membership applications and donations may also be sent to PO Box 505 Pambula 2549. A registration drive will be held soon with S.O.H.I. setting up stalls at local markets, public functions and on the streets, inviting you to join. Please come and say hello and lend your much-needed support to our continued efforts to SAVE OUR HOSPITAL in 2010. 8.25am Monday 18 January 2010 - yourhealth Bega Town Hall, BegaThe Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery, Warren Snowdon met with local health industry professionals to discuss health reform at a consultation at Bega Town Hall on Thursday 14 January 2010. Also in attendance was the Integrated Service Manager of Greater Southern Area Health Service, David Jeffrey, local member Mike Kelly, and Bega Valley Shire Mayor Tony Allen.
After the consultation Minister Snowdon was escorted by David Jeffrey and Christine Vandenberg, Acting Director of Nursing and Midwifery, on a tour of the Maternity Unit and Children’s Ward at Bega Valley Hospital. 8.20am Monday 18 January 2010 - ABC News - ALP Media Statement Health consultation in Bega NSWNational priorities and options for health reform were on the agenda today when the Minister for Rural and Regional Health, Warren Snowdon, met with local health professionals in Bega, New South Wales. Mr Snowdon toured Bega Hospital with Member for Eden-Monaro Dr Mike Kelly. The hospital recently benefited from a $390,000 grant provided under the Rudd Government's Elective Surgery Waiting List Reduction Plan. This has allowed the hospital to purchase additional surgical equipment to reduce the waiting times for elective surgery. Following the tour, Mr Snowdon gave a presentation outlining the findings of the final report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission (NHHRC), A Healthier Future for All Australians. It's the 86th health reform consultation held across Australia since the release of the NHHRC report last year. The report has made wide-ranging recommendations for system-wide changes to Australian health care. At today's consultation, Mr Snowdon outlined the recommendations to local health professionals and discussed their suggestions and priorities for improving the delivery of health services in both the local area and nationally. "Health matters to all Australians and it is vital that we consult thoroughly on what will be the biggest reform to our health system since Medicare," Mr Snowdon said. He said all Australians can contribute their views on the future of our health, hospitals and aged care systems at www.yourhealth.gov.au. Editor: All supporters of Save Our Hospital Inc. should contribute an opinion on the future of our local hospital where the maternity unit remains closed. 2.18pm Friday 15 January 2010 - ABC News Feds pledge support for new Bega hospitalThe Federal Government says it will continue to work with New South Wales authorities to assist the development of a regional hospital in the Bega Valley, on the far south coast. The Minister for Rural and Regional Health, Warren Snowdon, visited Bega yesterday to address medical professionals from across the south east. The visit was part of a National Health Consultation to address the requirements for a new health system. Mr Snowdon says the regional hospital is essential for the area. "I think we need to work with the New South Wales counterparts to advocate for this hospital," he said. " I think it's very important we continue to do that. "And we'll continue that dialogue as there's no question about the need. "We've just visited the hospital and I have to say that the staff that we met were clearly very competent, and they provide a very good service in very... in sometimes I think, probably very difficult circumstances." Construction hasn't begun for the hospital, which is scheduled for completion in 2012. 4.04pm Tuesday 12 January 2010 - Bellingen Courier - 12 Jan, 2010 10:24 AM Stoner updated on Bellingen Hospital issuesEditor: This article has been inluded on this page because local readers could be interested to observe clearly evident similarities in the processes employed by GSAHS and NCAHS to achieve their own goals in the face of consistently expressed community opposition. Instances of comparisons of Bellingen with Pambula have been linked to local text. Use your browser's back command to return here. State Parliament member for Oxley and leader of the NSW National Party, Andrew Stoner was in Bellingen last Friday, (January 8), to meet with the Bellingen Health Action Group and residents to discuss concerns about services at Bellingen Hospital. Mr Stoner has received so many letters and emails from Bellingen about this issue (cf. par 32) and was in Bellingen to touch base, making sure that all information was shared so he could best represent Bellingen interests at parliamentary level. The most interesting facts that crystallised from the discussions are:
Mr Stoner said that the NSW coalition intended to return the management of hospitals to smaller units of hospital clusters of four or five around one base hospital, making them more accountable and allowing for local representation on hospital boards. In the meantime, he will act in resident interests to the best of his ability within parliament and in relation to the NSW Minister for Health to maintain and improve services at Bellingen Hospital, including maternity services. Mr Stoner has arranged a meeting between Bellingen Council and the Minister on February 24 and he will also make representation for a similar meeting of the Bellingen Health Action Group. 11.31am Saturday 09 January 2010 - Sapphire Coast News CCC Must Investigate Eden Mother’s ConcernsThe Member for Bega Andrew Constance will be approaching the Health Care Complaints Commission in relation to recent reports about Eden mother Melissa Seymour. “I want to place on the public record that Melissa Seymour’s concerns are in no way reflective on the professionalism and care given to her by the midwives and the medical staff at Bega Hospital. “What is at the heart of this is the lack of facilities for birthing mothers and safety issues,” Mr Constance said. “It is unacceptable that with the closure of maternity beds at Pambula that there has not been an expansion of the maternity suites at Bega Hospital. “This means new mums are being allocated surgical ward beds and in the case of Melissa she was left in an unenviable situation of having to leave her new born in the ward unattended whilst she walked down a corridor to access shower and toilet facilities. This is unacceptable and is no way reflective on the staff at the hospital, but the lack of appropriate facilities that is being provided by the Labor Government,” Mr Constance said “Melissa’s concern relates to the safety of her new born and the fact that the toilet facilities were filthy,” Mr Constance said. “Whilst the Health Service is investigating itself into this matter I believe it important that the HCCC, who are independent of the health service also look into this. “Melissa’s concerns are legitimate and whilst some clarification has been given by the Health Service it in no way diminishes the important issues that Melissa has brought forward,” Mr Constance said.
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