Hartsuyker highlights Maclean Hospital plight in Federal Parliament

July 5, 2010

Continuing concerns about the future of the Maclean District Hospital and other local hospitals have been highlighted in the House of Representatives by The Nationals’ Federal Member for Cowper, Luke Hartsuyker.

“I take this opportunity to acknowledge the great work of local communities who support their hospitals in Bellingen, Maclean, Kempsey, Macksville, Coffs Harbour and Dorrigo,” Mr Hartsuyker said.

“There is not a hospital on the North Coast that has stronger community support than the Maclean District Hospital. Whether it be the hospital auxiliary or the local community, lower Clarence residents understand the importance of supporting their local hospital. But there is little doubt that the lower Clarence residents have, over time, been treated as second-class citizens by health bureaucrats.  In 2007 the North Coast Area Health Service sold some land next to the Maclean hospital. Local residents thought the funds raised would be invested in upgrading infrastructure in Maclean—but, no, the North Coast Area Health Service decided instead to upgrade the emergency department in Grafton. In 2008 the NCAHS tried to sell more land adjacent to the Maclean hospital, but the community outcry eventually ensured there was little interest in the land and the area health service took it off the market.

“Slowly but surely the North Coast Area Health Service has been withdrawing resources from Maclean hospital. The hospital no longer has its own executive officer in charge, and a security guard’s position has been axed. Once again, the smaller hospitals are being screwed of every last dollar as services are centralised to larger regional hospitals. Recently I called for an immediate cessation of on-going cost-cutting in hospitals across the North Coast until the Rudd government explains how health services in the region will be managed in the future. It is clear that local communities are scared about what these changes mean for smaller hospitals.

“They are worried that the North Coast Area Health Service will continue to slash services and sack staff and that the proposed new hospital networks will only disadvantage smaller health facilities. If these proposed new networks are going to deliver better outcomes for regional communities, the slashing and burning must cease. That is why I …. remain vigilant to ensure vital services are restored and that there are no further downgrades, regardless of what the North Coast Area Health Service says.”

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