Wednesday 25 February 2009
DELLA BOSCA HAS TURNED HIS BACK ON THE CENTRAL COAST: REHABILITATION WARD CLOSED
Health Minister John Della Bosca has turned his back on his own community after closing down the Woy Woy rehabilitation ward, despite the fact demand for rehab services are set to increase, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner and Shadow Minister for the Central Coast Chris Hartcher said today.
“Health Minister John Della Bosca should be ashamed of himself, closing frontline hospital services in his own local area,” Mrs Skinner said.
“It is now clear that no hospital is safe under John Della Bosca,” she said.
”The official report 'The review of rehabilitation and related services Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service final report of May 2007' stated:
“There is a significant shortfall in designated rehabilitation beds (and staffing) on the Central Coast.”
“While there is a Department of Rehabilitation Medicine on the Central Coast, the service there is not resourced to meet current or future need, and as such service development is impacted.”
“The current 15-bed rehabilitation ward at Woy Woy Hospital should be expanded to 30 beds.”
“Expansion of the Woy Woy rehabilitation ward from 15 to 30 beds should be accompanied by the recruitment of an additional rehabilitation physician and a FTE registrar (advanced trainee in rehabilitation medicine).”
“John Della Bosca’s decision to close Woy Woy rehabilitation ward makes no sense.”
Mr Hartcher said only an incompetent State Labor Government would close a rehabilitation ward in an area whose population is rapidly ageing.
“Woy Woy rehabilitation patients, who are already in need of treatment for their frailty, are now carted in buses to Gosford – eating into valuable treatment time. Even the State Government’s own report states: ‘the amount of time spent travelling [is] impacting on actual therapy activity’ (p2).
“John Della Bosca has failed the Central Coast yet again.
“The Health Minister should explain why he thinks Woy Woy is better off without its rehabilitation ward,” Mr Hartcher said.