18th October, 2024
On Tuesday 15 October, Judy Hannan MP raised a Question during Question Time to the Minister for Health, the Hon. Ryan Park MP regarding the Clinical Services Plan for Bowral Hospital. The hospital’s development, cut by the former Government, has a new building and infrastructure based on an older Clinical Services Plan. These documents plan for growth of the community to be in line with increased service needs in hospitals.
In Parliament, Judy Hannan MP said, “My question is directed to the Minister for Health. The Minister met with representatives of my community at Bowral and District Hospital about their disappointment at the planned upgrade. He said that we could work towards a clinical services plan. Why is my community being offered a business-as-usual plan and not a new clinical services plan?”
“Her community is undergoing extreme challenges in relation to growth, and she has a range of different centres. I know the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces is dealing with a range of issues in and around her area. The member for Wollondilly is a fierce advocate. I also acknowledge members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association who are in the gallery today. We look at clinical services plans to make sure we are catering for the current and future needs of a particular area. The current clinical services plan for the area in and around the Bowral region was updated in 2021 and goes out to 2031.” Minister for Health, the Hon. Ryan Park MP stated in response.
Further providing hope to the community in his closing remarks, “We are working through the $55 million redevelopment. I know that a range of different community consultation has taken place in relation to that in a range of different forums, whether it is online or walk and talks. I do not say for one moment that we get that engagement at all times perfect by no means. If we need to do more, if we need to have a refocus on the clinical services plan, if we think it needs to be updated, then we can certainly have a look at that. In the short term, I want to prioritise, as I would for any local member, making sure that the member for Wollondilly gets direct contact with her local health district chief executive. They are responsible for the delivery of some of the services, and I will make sure that is put in place for the member for Wollondilly.”
Media: [email protected] or Benn Banasik 0434 832 636