Like all good guests, Dr Michael Holland has thanked the members of the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Health outcomes and access to health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote NSW.
“On behalf of the ONE - One New Eurobodalla hospital group which I represent, I thank you for the opportunity to present evidence as a result of our submission.
Our community’s deficiencies in outcomes and access are shared across rural NSW.
The community knows the problems. The community knows the solutions.
Unfortunately, the community is not informed of the real barriers to these solutions.
As a consequence of the inquiry and the recent crisis in maternal, neonatal and paediatric care locally, the SNSWLHD has requested that the NSW Health Clinical Excellence Commission undertake an external review of maternity and neonatal services in the Eurobodalla.
This will be the third review of a clinical service in the Eurobodalla in the past 4 years.
The first review by the Agency for Clinical Innovation into Critical Care and Perioperative services in 2017 indicated the need for development of Accident & Emergency services and the establishment of a Close Observation Unit in order to transition to Intensive Care services.
A review of Moruya and Batemans Bay Emergency departments followed this year. This review reached the same conclusions as the previous review in 2017.
The community anticipates that, after 4 years and with a new hospital due to be constructed in 4 years, improvement to these services will finally eventuate.
It is hoped that the review of maternity and neonatal services does not follow the same timeline.
It is of interest that the promises of delivery of health care follow a 4 year cycle similar to that of parliamentary election cycles.
Finally, the Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health, Illawarra and South Coast has written to the Minister for Health requesting a meeting with myself, Mr Park and Mr Hazzard to discuss maternity and neonatal services in the Eurobodalla.
I am sure that this opportunity would not have arisen without the current NSW Parliamentary Inquiry.
Yours sincerely
Dr Michael Holland”
