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Greens Join Protest At Cuts To Area Health Service

Green members Peter Rae, Pam Ditton, Michele Grant, Audrey Hadley and Laurie Ganter at Tweed Hospital

Local Greens joined in with concerned community groups to challenge the Rees Government's proposed funding cuts to the North Coast Area Health Service. Groups rallied outside a range of hospitals across the North Coast on Saturday 29th November including Tweed and Lismore. $200 million will be slashed from the NC budget and State MP Geoff Provost claimed 29 jobs would be lost at Tweed Hospital, compromising the quality of care and increasing stress for the remaining health workers. Pam Ditton from Byron Ballina Greens spoke of the importance of maintaining a quality public hospital system and the need to improve aged care services. Over 150 mostly older people attended the rally clearly concerned the health system is already struggling to support the needs of a rapidly aging and growing population.

Greens MP and health spokesperson Lee Rhiannon is calling on the NSW Premier to reverse the push to cut 400 jobs from the North Coast Area Health Service.

"Premier Nathan Rees should cancel  plans to cut an estimated 400 jobs now he is set to pocket a significant share of the almost $8 billion in health federal funding being offered by Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon. Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon is offering generous funding to the states in a bid to remedy the ailing health system and Premier Rees should ensure that some of that windfall flows to the Far North Coast."

Yesterday Commissioner Peter Garling SC handed down his report on public hospitals, urging the government to prioritise patients' needs."

 "Slashing staff will only downgrade patient care and amplify the problems facing the Far North Coast's health system. The government should allocate a fair proportion of COAG funding to the region which is struggling to support the health needs of a rapidly ageing and growing population base. The problem with health services on the Far North Coast is that there's no fat to lose."

 "Cuts to staff will compromise quality of care and increase stress for the remaining health workers."Front-line staff are the lifeblood of the health system, and this includes support staff and cleaners who are critical in infection control. "While a major overhaul of the NSW health system is required, with more funding allocated to primary health, staff cuts are not the solution to the budget challenges facing the government," Ms Rhiannon said.