Hospital works 'welcome, but stop-gap measure'.
Work is now underway at Tumut Hospital to address access and security issues under a NSW State Govt. $250,000 Rural Health Minor Works Program.
A concrete path now links the Sheahan House carpark with Community Services and alterations have been made to the disabled carpark.
Other alterations to bathroom access and security are expected to be completed soon.
The local group lobbying for a new hospital, No More Bandaid Solutions Inc. says it welcomes any improvements to Tumut's health facilities but claims these minor works are merely bandaids.
Interestingly the NSW Nurses' Association has said in a recent edition of their news magazine, the prospect of a new hospital for Tumut seems a long way off and there is no commitment towards a new hospital in the Health Service Plan which runs until201l.
NMBS Inc. says it is nevertheless continuing the push for a new hospital and has now launched the second phase of their campaign by commissioning a report on the district's economy.
The study, which will be compiled by an independent consultant, will examine the impact that under-resourced health services and inadequate hospital infrastructure will have on the district's social and economic structure if the situation is allowed to continue for many years.
The financial burden on rural families who have to find their way to distant regional centres for medical services without the aid of public transport will be examined as part of the report.
Both State and Federal governments have come under fire from the group for their lack of support for rural health services.
Spokesperson for the group Sue Swann claims the recent Federal budget is a slap in the face for country Australia.
"Opinion polls now confirm that two thirds of Australian families would have preferred the government to spend its surplus billions on schools, hospitals and services especially in country areas which have been allowed to slip well behind big cities," she said.
"Ten dollar handouts are an insult. The Treasurer and other politicians should come and visit Tumut and Batlow Hospitals to see how the other half lives," she said.
"Rural people need new hospitals, more doctors, more services where they live instead of having to travel hundreds of kms all the time, not hamburger tax cuts," said Mrs Swann.
The local group is continuing to warn that the people of Tumut Shire will need to take an active interest in the development of health services under the Health Service Plan which runs until 201l.
It points out public protest and numerous public meetings, other towns in this region have recently had major cuts made to their hospitals.
Both Yass and Crookwell have now lost all surgical services and Yass has also lost its maternity ward altogether, pregnant women now having to travel to Canberra to give birth, and NMBS Inc. says it is keen to ensure that the same scenario does not happen in Tumut.
"Since the closure of Sheahan House at Tumut Hospital, significant problems have developed with maternity facilities and mention is made in the Tumut Health Service Plan to 'relocating' the ward," said the spokesperson.
"It was during the 'relocation' of the maternity ward at Yass that a decision was made by a GSAHS committee to close the ward altogether.
"According to Katrina Hodgkinson, Member for Burrinjuck, Yass residents protested in their thousands, however, the final decision to close the maternity ward was made on July 13, 2005 by a meeting of 22 people, 15 of whom were employees of GSAHS.
"The identities of those who attended the meeting have apparently been kept secret to this day," said the spokesperson.
"The people of Tumut district need to take note of what has happened recently in other parts of our area health service and to learn from the experience of other towns.
"We need to insist that we receive real health dollars, not play money and bandaids. We need a new hospital and we need it now, not in 10 or 15 years time."
No More Bandaid Solutions Inc. says it is encouraging the people of Tumut district to take an active part in the development of local health services.
The lobby group is urging people to attend the public meeting organised by Greater Southern Area Health Service for at 5.30 p.m. next Tuesday (May 30) at the Tumut RSL, when a progress report on the Health Service Plan will be presented.
May 26 2006
Tumut & Adelong Times