Friday, 17 May 2024
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has called on the Regional Health Minister Ryan Park to immediately intervene and prevent any loss of health services at the Cootamundra Hospital.
It comes following the release of a draft Health Service Plan by the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, which threatens the future of some services at the local hospital.
“The instant I became aware of these proposed changes I contacted the Regional Health Minister to firstly, ask him as the Minister, to step in and make sure we see absolutely no loss of health services for the Cootamundra community,” Ms Cooke said.
“Secondly, I asked the Minister to come to Cootamundra and speak directly with the people – from healthcare professionals, and allied health workers, to families, the elderly, those with mobility problems – all those who rely on the hospital for their fundamental healthcare needs.
“It is simply not good enough for the Regional Health Minister to make decisions about regional healthcare from the centre of the Sydney CBD.
“Minister Park needs to come to the regions and see for himself the consequences of draining services and resources from our communities,” she said.
Ms Cooke said after 12 months in office, there is a concerning pattern of behaviour emerging from this NSW Labor Government, that seems intent on slowly but surely draining resources from the bush.
“I have convened an urgent meeting with stakeholders in Cootamundra and have asked the Minister to attend,” Ms Cooke said.
“It was only in the last few days that the Minister stood up in the NSW Parliament and said: ‘We believe in delivering better health services for rural, regional and remote New South Wales’.”
“Here is his chance to demonstrate that he does care about the health and well-being of regional communities; only time will tell if he’s genuine,” she said.
