No Fourth Pod Until At Least 2018

12 March 2009

The Rees Governments release of the Mid-North Coast Regional Strategy 2009 reveals that the Port Macquarie Base Hospitals urgently required ‘fourth pod’ may not be built until after 2018, Duty Member for Port Macquarie Melinda Pavey said today.

The report released this week lists the major infrastructure projects to be completed for the Mid-North Coast between 2009-2018, and the ‘fourth pod’ has not made the list.

“It is absolute madness that the people of Port Macquarie will be forced to wait almost another ten years for the construction of a fourth wing at the Port Macquarie Hospital,” Mrs Pavey said.

“The Governments decision to shaft this life saving project off the agenda is absolutely mindless, as even they admit that Port Macquarie is experiencing the greatest population growth on the Mid-North Coast.

“The report states that “Over the past 25 years the Mid North Coast has experienced a 70 per cent population increase …the largest increases have been in the coastal areas of Port Macquarie–Hastings” .

“With an ageing population, the upgrade of health infrastructure is imminent in Port Macquarie, and the fact that the Government has ignored this is shocking,” Mrs Pavey said.

The latest figures released in the Garling Report into Acute Care Services revealed that in late 2008 the Port Macquarie Base Hospital was forced to cancel up to 30 per cent of planned surgery due to bed shortages.

“The Labor Governments decision to push the project off the agenda for almost a decade can mean only one thing – they are flat broke,” Mrs Pavey said.

“First there were revelations of the Governments huge health budget deficit and then there were millions of dollars in unpaid bills, and now this.

“The Port Macquarie Hospital has been bursting at the seams for years, there is no way it can withstand another nine.

“The ever increasing demands on the hardworking doctors, nurses and the infrastructure is placing so much pressure on the system that lives will be increasingly put at risk.

“I welcome the projects to be completed under the $140 billion State Infrastructure Strategy which include Coffs Harbour Base Hospital Non-Acute Mental Health Uni, Grafton Base Hospital Emergency Department, and the Manning Base Hospital Emergency Department, however the people of Port Macquarie must not be forgotten,” Mrs Pavey said.