Wednesday 20 January 2010
LABOR’S SURGICAL FAILURE: QUADRIPLEGIC’S LEG OPERATION CANCELLED EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK
Labor’s health incompetence has again been highlighted after the NSW Opposition revealed a quadriplegic man with a badly broken leg has had his operation cancelled every day for a week at Royal North Shore Hospital, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.
Graham McRae, 47 from Tamworth, was admitted to Royal North Shore Hospital last Wednesday 13th with a badly broken leg. He is still waiting for his operation to fix his leg despite being told every day for the past week the surgery would take place.
“This is more incompetence from a State Labor Government which has driven our public hospitals into the ground,” Mrs Skinner said.
“Surgery is routinely cancelled because hospitals close theatres to save money, they do not have enough theatre staff, there are no anaesthetists, equipment is faulty or broken or surgical lists are being mismanaged by Labor’s failed Area Health Services,” she said.
“This man should have had this surgery a week ago, instead he’s been stuffed around by the incompetent State Labor Government.
“Mr McRae has been on nil-by-mouth in the lead up to every cancelled operation and his health has deteriorated as a direct result of Labor’s mismanagement of the surgical lists.
“This is a classic example of where a patient’s condition is actually made worse by bad health policy, something that when corrected by a NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will not only lead to better patient outcomes, but save millions of dollars.
“The NSW Liberals & Nationals will start the change for better public hospitals by delivering a health system that puts patients first, and re-engages demoralised medical professionals.
“A NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will remove Labor’s huge, centralised and failed Area Health Services and replace them with smaller Health Districts, each with their own board made up of local community members and clinicians from local health facilities.
“Only a NSW Liberals & Nationals Government can deliver the change required to improve patient care and improve our public hospitals,” Mrs Skinner said.