THE number of patients using Inverell District Hospital increased last year and is expected to rise again this year but the state of the old building has again prompted concern.
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Speaking at last month’s council meeting Cr Di Baker outlined the increase in services at the hospital.
“(There was) quite a major shift in the number of people using the services. It increased significantly this year and will continue to increase next year as well,” Cr Baker said.
She also said the community health service was fully staffed and functioning very well and there were more specialists visiting.
The renal unit had increased from three chairs to six Cr Baker said, adding that the staff do an excellent job, before raising concerns about the building.
“They still have to wheel oxygen cylinders around to some of the beds because they can’t pipe oxygen to all because the buildings are too old. We desperately need a modern medical wing,” Cr Baker said.
Mayor Paul Harmon said he welcomed the new services being introduced to Inverell Hospital.
“Certainly we haven’t let go of the fact that while we have all these wonderful services, if the building is continuing to fall down and (there is) lack of maintenance, then those services are unable to be performed there,” Cr Harmon said.
“Certainly the local member is aware of that fact. I’m continually asking for our clinical services plan.”
A clinical services plan is the next step towards having major infrastructure work planned for Inverell’s hospital.
Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall, was present at the council meeting and said the question now is “Is the infrastructure keeping up with modern health care?”
“It’s not an issue of money (holding up the plan), it’s not only a political issue but an issue to cut through the bureaucracy to get Hunter New England Health to prioritise the development of that clinical services plan,” Mr Marshall said.
“At the moment the upper echelons of HNEH don’t see that as a top priority and it is my job as an MP to make it a top priority.
“I’m continually pushing the Minister for Health to lock in our clinical services plan, so we can do a proper assessment of the hospital on where the services are heading and what infrastructure needs to be modernised to keep pace with those modern services.”
There were meetings held here between HNEH and the various stakeholders in 2011, to determine what the town’s needs would be into the future. In mid-2012, the community called for a clinical services plan both at a public meeting held at the council chambers and with an 11,000 strong petition subsequently tabled in Parliament by the former member of Northern Tablelands, Richard Torbay.
At that time a spokeswoman for HNEH said there were no plans for a full redevelopment of Inverell Hospital and any staged improvements of the facility would depend on the availability of funding.
Mr Marshall indicated he sympathised with those issues surrounding Inverell hospital raised in the council meeting.
“Clearly in some situations, that were re-enforced (by council) today, there are some issues there with the infrastructure, but the services are increasing,” Mr Marshall said.
“Where they’ve come in the last 12 months and where they’ll go in the next 12 months is chalk and cheese, it’s huge.”
