Friday 24 April 2009
REES GOVERNMENT DENYING WESTMEAD HOSPITAL VITAL RESOURCES
Westmead Hospital is being denied vital computing and digital resources by the Rees Labor Government that is forcing medical staff to operate under outdated conditions, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.
Mrs Skinner visited Westmead Hospital with Parramatta City Council Lord Mayor Cr Tony Issa OAM this week.
“Westmead really has suffered after 14 years of Labor Government in NSW,” Mrs Skinner said.
“It remains the only teaching hospital in the state where medical staff do not have access to computerised or digital radiology images,” she said.
“Medical staff has to literally run around the hospital chasing up x-ray charts, not only wasting their time, but increasing the chances that vital images are lost or misplaced.
“This is no way to run a major teaching hospital in the 21st century.
“What’s worse is the planned introduction of such technology will not place access terminals across the wards, essentially the Rees Labor Government is not giving Westmead Hospital the funding to make this system truly useful and effective.
“The Emergency Department is also run off their feet. The staff do a magnificent job and have many good ideas about how to improve the ED – but they are continually ignored by the Rees Labor Government and denied funding to make things better for their patients.
“I’ve never seen a better ICU in terms of infection control. Medical staff at Westmead know what’s needed to win this war on hospital acquired infection, but are not getting the support they need from the Rees Labor Government.”
Cr Issa said Parramatta should not be left behind when it came to healthcare.
“ABS figures released this week showed Parramatta was one of the fasted growing regions in NSW. I want to make sure local families get the healthcare they deserve. We have many young families who will rely on Westmead Hospital for many years to come. I want to ensure our hospital gets its fair share of funding and resources,” Cr Issa said.