Hospital denies work was carried out due to lobby group calls.

Repairs to rotted-out flooring at Tumut Hospital were carried out under the hospital's ongoing maintenance and repairs plan according to Health Services manager Mary Smit.

Mrs Smit has refuted claims that a newly formed group calling themselves "No More Bandaid Solutions Inc" was responsible for the floor repairs.

"The floor was not fixed as a result of representations made to the NSW Minister for Health by the lobby group "No More Bandaid Solutions Inc", it was fixed because it was broken."

Mrs Smit said the problem in the floor was identified about three weeks ago by hospital maintenance personnel and was immediately referred to Greater Southern Health.

"On the day I spoke to the engineer, that same day someone was out doing a quote," Mrs Smit said.

Mrs Smit said she wants to assure the general public that the hospital will be kept in as good repair as possible until the Health Service Plan comes into play.

"We know that there are things that need fixing and the building is wearing out, but we are fixing things as required," Mrs Smit said.

"Yes, we do want a new hospital but we have to go through the correct procedures.

"In the meantime we do have to have the "bandaids" because even if we got the money today, we still have to function in the present hospital until the new one is constructed.

The area of repaired flooring which is located in a corridor adjacent to the hospital solarium was fully functional yesterday.

The ageing state of Tumut Hospital has been in the local spotlight recently during development of a Health Service Plan by the Tumut Local Government Area Health Service Planning Committee.

No More Bandaid Solutions Inc is a newly formed community group, which is lobbying for a new Tumut Hospital.

The Daily Advertiser

Wagga Wagga

Wednesday, December 21, 2005