top of page

STAKEHOLDER MEETING GIVES VOICE TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS

Writer's picture: Steph Cooke MPSteph Cooke MP

Wednesday, 22 May 2024

 

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke together with health clinicians and members of the community have held an urgent meeting to discuss the impacts that proposed changes outlined in the MLHD’s draft Health Services Plan will have on services at the Cootamundra Hospital.

 

“I felt it was important to bring stakeholders together – doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, pathologists, new mums and other members of the community – to discuss their concerns regarding the draft Health Services Plan for the Cootamundra Hospital,” Ms Cooke said.

 

“The meeting was all about getting a wholistic perspective, and giving a voice to a community who feel they haven’t been properly consulted, and who have serious and legitimate concerns.

 

“This morning we’ve heard how the flow-on effects of these potential changes are enormous; any cuts to existing services – maternity, pathology, theatre – is entirely unacceptable to this community; we need to be strengthening services, not cutting them.

 

“We expect the Health Minister and the MLHD to rule-out any cuts or downgrading of services at this hospital.

 

“The MLHD needs to go back to the drawing board, and properly consult and take into account the concerns we’ve heard here today.

 

“The Health Minister Ryan Park was invited to attend, and regrettably wasn’t able to do so, and I reiterate my call for him to firstly: come here and meet with the community, and secondly: to personally intervene to ensure there are no loss of services here in Cootamundra,” she said.

 

Also at the meeting, Dr Jacques Scholtz from the Cootamundra Medical Centre said consultation on the draft plan was inadequate, reiterating the far-reaching impacts of the potential changes.

 

“We’re very concerned about the draft Health Services Plan and what it means for healthcare in Cootamundra, in particular obstetrics, theatre services, and pathology. All these services are very closely interconnected, and if you start cutting services in one area, it very quickly impacts on others,” Dr Scholtz said.

 

“We need to future-proof health services for Cootamundra, and ensure we have the fundamentals in place to look after our most vulnerable; a lot of people – some elderly and disabled people for example – simply can’t travel to larger centres like Wagga, so they won’t get the healthcare they need if services are lost here in town.

 

“From a teaching and skills perspective, it’s vital we have the clinical settings in place that allows doctors and specialists to continue their professional development, because without those learning opportunities, we risk losing these professionals altogether,” he said.

 

At the close of the meeting, Ms Cooke reiterated her support for the local community and assured them of her support.

 

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in today’s meeting, including my parliamentary colleague Dr Joe McGirr MP, who as chair of the Committee on Remote, Rural and Regional Health, has a unique insight into the challenges facing regional health services both here in our region, and across the entire state,” Ms Cooke said.

 

“Fundamentally we all agreed that we need to see a strengthening of services that are already here, and that can only be achieved through close consultation with health clinicians, and of course the wider Cootamundra community,” she said.

 


 

Photograph caption: Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke MP held an urgent meeting with stakeholders to discuss concerns regarding the MLHD’s draft Health Services Plan for the Cootamundra Hospital.

bottom of page