Two years after the scathing report into the state of health services across South Western Sydney was handed down, the Government has continued it’s do nothing approach with key recommendations yet to be implemented.
The report called for a complete overhaul to address the historical under-funding of health services in South-West Sydney to meet current as well as future demand.
The South West Sydney Local Health District is expected to see a 33 per cent increase in population growth over the next 20 years.
In the last decade, South Western Sydney has had $1,335 of less health expenditure per person spent on it than the Sydney average, and $4,913 less than the NSW average.
If the health services in the area can’t support the population now, how will they deal with more people.
The report recommended recruitment programs to address the staff crisis – but nurses are overworked and leaving hospitals.
The report recommended fast tracking a site for the new Bankstown-Liverpool hospital – there is still no site earmarked.
The report recommended the Government secure land within the Aerotropolis precinct – no site has been selected.
The report recommended boosts to Fairfield Hospital – no funding has been announced.
Instead hospitals in South West Sydney are experiencing severe pressure:
· Over a 3 month period 11,000 people left South West Sydney hospitals without receiving treatment at all.
- Less than half of T2 emergencies started on time in SWS hospitals.
- 10 per cent spent over 12 hours in the ED.
- 10 per cent of people waited at least 1 hour and 20 minutes in the back of an ambulance.
NSW Labor has promised $255 million for the expansion of Canterbury Hospital, and an initial $115 million over three years for Fairfield Hospital.
We’ve also announced a plan for safe staffing levels starting with Emergency Departments that will see an additional 1,200 nurses and midwives recruited into the health system.
NSW Shadow Health Minister, Ryan Park said:
“For the last 12 years, our health system and the people who work in it have been neglected by the Liberals and Dominic Perrotet
“South West Sydney has been forgotten. Two years after a landmark health inquiry, and the Government has done nothing.
“There’s no new hospital site for Bankstown, no funding for upgrades to Canterbury Hospital or Fairfield Hospital and no site identified for the new Aerotropolis Hospital.
“We have a health system absolutely stretched and at breaking point, nurses overworked and under resourced.
RYAN PARK
NSW SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH
