Health bureaucrats respond to concerns of serious patient risks created by hospital downgrades

A letter by the hospital medical staff stated it was “really important” to have a pathologist on site in Griffith. This is so the operating surgeon can help in cutting up the specimen to get a better idea of the operating procedure. 

Nevertheless, NSW Health Pathology Chief Executive Ms McCosker had said the secret decision to move Griffith’s pathologist to Wagga would “improve” local care. 

Ms McCosker was asked if she agreed with the doctors that having a pathologist on site in Griffith was “really important”.

The response from her department was that moving the pathologist to Wagga “will also have absolutely no impact on where patients receive their care or the outstanding quality local care they currently receive”.

The medical staff council letter also slammed Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD)’s decision to transfer Griffith base hospital’s sterilising supply department to St Vincent’s private hospital. 

The letter highlighted MLHD Chief Executive Jill Ludford’s support for the decision, telling staff it would be “good” for the base hospital. 

When asked if she still thought the decision was “good”, her response was as follows:

“The collocation of Griffith Base Hospital (GBH) and St Vincent’s Private Hospital provides an opportunity for us to work together.”

“One of these opportunities is for GBH to have access to a state-of-the-art sterilising unit at St Vincent’s”.

“The establishment of this unit by St Vincent’s provides a single contemporary sterilising service across the health campus, avoiding the unnecessary duplication of services”.

The Area News will continue to publish all questions to the health bureaucrats and their responses in full. 

Questions in full Tracey McCosker (NSW Health Pathology CE)

The Griffith base hospital medical staff council state the following: 

Having a pathologist on site at Griffith Base Hospital is really important for the surgical services for various reasons such as the pathologist being able to have the operating surgeons' help in cutting up the specimen to get a better idea of the operative procedure as related to the site of the lesion.

1. Does Ms McCosker agree having a pathologist on site is “really important”, or not? 

2. As the Griffith base hospital pathologist is now to be located in Wagga, how will the hospital overcome the problem of the pathologist not having the the operating surgeons' help in cutting up the specimen to get a better idea of the operative procedure? 

NSW Health pathology response (not signed by McCosker this time): 

The proposed change will not impact how histopathology samples are prepared for testing and diagnosis. It will also have absolutely no impact on where patients receive their care or the outstanding quality local care they currently receive.

We will continue talking directly with our staff, hospital management and clinicians to work through any questions they have.

Questions to Murrumbidgee Local Health District chief executive Jill Ludford

1.Does Ms Ludford recall telling staff it would be "good" to shut down the hospital's central sterilising supply department?

2. Does she still think it was a good decision? 

Ms Ludford’s response

The collocation of Griffith Base Hospital (GBH) and St Vincent’s Private Hospital provides an opportunity for us to work together.

One of these opportunities is for GBH to have access to a state-of-the-art sterilising unit at St Vincent’s.

The establishment of this unit by St Vincent’s provides a single contemporary sterilising service across the health campus, avoiding the unnecessary duplication of services.

One of the benefits of the new service includes the introduction of a modern instrument tracking system.

We look forward to working with St Vincent’s in the coming weeks.