NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has rejected calls for Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) board managers to be sacked, saying such calls are, “not helpful or productive”.
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Save Griffith Base Hospital President Jenna Woodland said MHLD chief executive Jill Ludford and board chair Gayle Murphy should stand down after MLHD decided to close down Temora obstetrics without telling the Minister or local doctors.
It followed similar MLHD secret decisions to downgrade Griffith health services, also keeping government and medical staff in the dark.
Katrina Hodgkinson, outgoing Nationals MP for Cootamundra, was scathing in her assessment of MHLD managers in an interview for ABC Radio.
“I’m very disappointed at the MLHD for their arrogance in relation to this.”
“The lack of communication of MLHD is entirely unacceptable”.
But Mr Hazzard affirmed his support.
“I genuinely think there are good people on the board, and good people sometimes make mistakes.”
“I am confident we all learn from experience, and the board will be far more consultative with community in the future.”
Doctors at Temora hospital were told last Monday that their obstetric theatre would close in two weeks, meaning women requiring caesarean section deliveries would now have to travel to Young, Cootamundra or Wagga.
Temora GP Rachel Christmas said the secret decision would force women to travel long distances for emergency caesareans, potentially putting lives at risk in some cases.
The decision was reversed on Wednesday, following outcry by Ms Hodgkinson, Shooters and Fishers MLC Robert Borsak and the Temora Shire council.
“The Liberal and National Party Government trumpets that they have a $4.5bn surplus, but it’s just built off the back of cuts to rural communities,” Mr Borsak said.
The Temora decision is the second major rural health cut backflip in less than a month, with the NSW government also reversing a decision by rogue bureaucrats to downgrade Griffith Base Hospital pathology services.
MLHD Board chair Gayle Murphy refused to answer questions on why the Temora decision was made without consultation.
The MLHD has also ignored questions on Griffith health service downgrades.
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Questions ignored by Gayle Murphy
1. Why did the MLHD make the decision to close the Obstretics Theatre in Temora Hospital?
2. What is the name of the person who made the decision?
3. Why did the MLHD make this decision "without consulting government", as Mr Hazzard said on ABC radio this morning?
4. Did the MLHD consult with community, hospital staff or the HSU on this decision? If so, please provide dates and evidence of this consultation.
5. The Save Griffith Base Hospital Committee said this decision potentially "puts mothers' lives at risk". Does the MLHD agree?
6. The Committee has called on Jill Ludford and Gayle Murphy to resign given their "consistent pattern of making decisions without consulting government, community or hospital staff". Does MLHD have a response?
7. How many times has Gayle Murphy physically visited Griffith base hospital and spoken to hospital staff during her time as MLHD Board chair?