OAKESHOTT INDEPENDENT
WAITING LIST FIGURES SHOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BUY-BACK. NOW TO KEEP GROWING THE HOSPITAL
Independent MP for Port Macquarie, Robert Oakeshott, today released waiting list figures for Port Macquarie Base Hospital from June 1995 through to December 2006, showing a significant decrease today in short and long-term waits for surgery at the hospital.
"There is no question, we are doing better now than ever before. And the key moment on the chart is the 'buy-back' of the hospital in February 2005. Key waiting list figures were halved, on the back of this $80 million investment by Government, said Mr Oakeshott.
"In making this point, no-one is resting on their laurels. There is also no question we need to complete the Masterplan process with more building works chased in the next four years. The $2.4 million mental health transitional arrangements have begun, the $20 million Integrated Cancer Centre and fixed Breast Screen Unit is all but complete, the upgraded Blood Bank is moving to its new premises in the CBD in April, and we need to keep pushing Government to deliver, Mr Oakeshott said.
"Key projects include the need for renal dialysis services to be relocated urgently to the hospital, we need a stroke unit, we need a heart unit, we need more ward beds for the growing population, and we need the expanded emergency unit and the 20-bed mental health unit, said Mr Oakeshott
"We also need the Area Health CEO, Mr Chris Crawford, to work hard on getting capital commitments for Port Macquarie Base Hospital, where he himself admits the major growth in activity in his region is occurring.
"And we need a Health Minister committed to equity through the Resource Distribution Formula. Currently the North Coast, in general, remains about $20 Million per annum below basic equity, Mr Oakeshott said.
"And yes - Mr Vaile needs to also admit he has a role to play in delivering more nursing home beds, and getting more money for health in NSW through greater GST returns to NSW that currently go to Queensland and Western Australia. We all have a role in this, said Mr Oakeshott.
'But chasing these improvements would have been impossible if we didn't buy-back the hospital, and that is the significance of this major investment in the past four years, as well as the significant decrease in the waiting list figures, as can be seen from the attached chart, Mr Oakeshott said today.
18 March 2007