The push for a new Tumut Hospital by the newly formed local group No More Bandaid Solutions Inc. has recently received a boost from local residents.

Group spokesperson Sue Swann said that two ventures, a fundraiser, and a petition to local council, have been overwhelmingly supported by locals.

"I wish to sincerely thank everyone for their contributions and for their enthusiastic endorsement of our organisation's letter to Tumut Council."

"We are asking councillors to make this issue a high priority of Council and to lobby government long and hard on our behalf," she said.

"I have spoken with hundreds of residents in recent weeks and there is no doubt that there is deep concern in the community about the state of our 107 yr old hospital. People want it rebuilt now, rather than refurbished. They are worried about having to wait until after Wagga Wagga Base Hospital is finished before we get a look in," she said.

Mrs Swann said that amongst a number of issues raised by locals with the organisation was the closure of Sheahan House.

"Some of the 36 women who are attending antenatal classes have expressed their dissatisfaction with the maternity unit. They are apparently worried that birthing facilities are insufficient if several of them are ready to give birth at the same time," she said.

"Lack of privacy, the risk of cross infection, the ' medicalisation' of a natural process and lack of space were other matters raised," she said.

NMBS is set to continue the campaign in coming weeks with a breakfast meeting being organised for local business operators to discuss the economic implications of the situation. Mrs Swann warned that the long delay in providing Tumut with. A new hospital is likely to have a severe effect on our economy

"I believe Tumut is at a crossroads," she said.

"Many people are not joining the dots, and the result could be disastrous for our town's economy if we all leave it for somebody else to act," she warned.

"Currently there are development projects totalling almost 1 billion dollars in and around Tumut in various stages of planning. Some retirement village projects which need access to good medical facilities (including an up to date hospital) have been frozen by the government. We need to be proactive and fight for our right to decent health facilities, including a new hospital. Other towns such as Queanbeyan, Goulburn, Junee and Wagga Wagga are actively lobbying government for health dollars, successfully in some cases.

"Tumut needs to lift its game and lobby loudly and - persistently if we are to have any hope of success," she said.

Mrs Swann said that reports circulating in Tumut last week that Wagga Base was "on hold" are incorrect. Planning for the $200m replacement of the hospital, the largest teaching hospital west of Sydney, is underway but due to the complexity of the project, completion is not expected for upwards of another 10 yrs.

The confusion arose following the announcement that a new $300m hospital to be built at French's Forest in one of the wealthy areas of Sydney's north shore will be up and running before Wagga Base.

Wagga Wagga Base Hospital is also to receive $400,000 for kidney dialysis machines, doubling the present capacity. Construction of the $30m new hospital at Queanbeyan announced only months ago is about to commence.

"NMBS welcomes all these announcements for new hospitals," said Mrs Swann.

"However, the news is not good for Tumut. Yet again, we are set to receive crumbs ($250,000) for patch up renovations to our 100yr old hospital. The poor old girl is set to get another makeover job!

"We love her dearly but we all know a new hat and a bit of lippy will not change the fact that she's past her use-by date," she said.

Mrs Swann said that country people should not constantly be pushed down the line in preference to wealthy metropolitan suburbs already generously catered for.

She warned that the economic implications are in her view serious and urged the people of Tumut to stop "talking over the back fence" and start actively lobbying councillors, service clubs, politicians, media and health authorities.

"During the last council elections, aged care facilities for Tumut district was a hot issue," said Mrs Swann.

"Since then, the government has frozen development applications for aged care facilities (e.g. retirement villages) in rural areas because they know rural hospitals are not in a fit state to sustain such projects. That freeze applies to Tumut, and rightly so. We have numerous developers wanting to build in Tumut. "Will these developers wait upwards of 10 yrs?"

According to the statistics, Tumut currently leads all other small towns and is growing, not declining.

"If we are to keep our healthy economy on track, and not waste the hard work of so many to build industry over the past decade, it is essential that our aged hospital be rebuilt now, not in 10 yrs time," she said.

"No More Bandaid Solutions Inc. whom I represent is currently getting together a petition to Tumut Shire Council.

"We want Councillors left in no doubt as to what this community thinks about submitting to health authority plans which mean we will wait many years for our hospital to be replaced. The full text of our let ter is with each petition in many Tumut businesses.

"I urge people who want our council to give this matter the highest priority, and to lobby hard on our behalf for a new hospital as soon as possible, to sign the petition," she said.

"My message to the government is simple. Give Tumut a new hospital - now, not in ten years time. If you can afford $300 million for the wealthy of Sydney, you can spare $30 million for Tumut from petty cash."

TUMUT & ADELONG TIMES

Thursday, April 13, 2006

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Does Tumut Need a New Hospital?

"The condition of the Tumut District Hospital and Community Health buildings is very poor and has a direct influence on the ability of the health service to provide safe, efficient and accessible services." (Greater Southern Area Health Service. NSW Health. Tumut Health Service Plan 2006-2011, page 54.)

NO MORE BANDAID SOLUTIONS INC.

P.O. Box 491, Tumut NSW 2720

e-mail: fixitnow@tpg.com.au

Web site: www.nomorebandaids.homestead.com