An injection of about $2.5 million would upgrade the Crookwell District Hospital's emergency department (ED), say community members who are lobbying for it.
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Both state and federal governments have so far resisted the call to provide extra equipment and beds to the ever-busier ED.
For the past 18 months, community members including Pam Kensit and Dianne Layden have lobbied both levels of government. However, the Department of Health has not made public its planning intentions for the hospital.
Ms Kensit said it was now up to the whole community to speak up about Upper Lachlan Shire infrastructure, including the future standard of the hospital.
Federal government figures show Crookwell has had an increase in emergency presentations. In 2017-18, there were 5247, compared with 4570 in 2013-14.
These ED presentations to Crookwell Hospital are equal to just over a quarter (28 per cent) of those presented to the Goulburn Base Hospital ED in 2017-18, although the Goulburn ED has 10 (five times more) emergency beds.
Crookwell District Hospital is also seeing a rise in the influx of more complex and urgent presentations. In 2017-18, 145 patients who required treatment within 10 minutes presented to Crookwell's ED, which was more than double those that required the same treatment in 2013-14.
The Crookwell ED presently has two beds. The 18-bed acute care facility averages an overnight ward occupancy of 70 per cent.
- A community meeting to discuss the issue has been called for Wednesday February 20 at 6.30pm at the Memorial Hall, Crookwell.
A few political parties have agreed the ED needs an upgrade and have been asked to attend the meeting.
Is the $2.5m commitment on the table?
Three major political parties agree the emergency department (ED) at Crookwell District Hospital needs an upgrade.
However, only One Nation promised funding.
The State Government has assured the Crookwell Gazette the hospital will remain open.
An estimated $2.5 million has been suggested by community members to afford an ED upgrade, including a third bed and triage facilities.
However, the scope of the upgrade's entire cost would need a detailed business plan, said Liberal candidate for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman.
One Nation candidate for Goulburn, Richard Orchard decried the State Government's projected four-year $87 billion infrastructure spend, yet its lack of funding for the hospital.
“It’s just not good enough,” Mr Orchard said. “These Sydney-centred major parties have no idea what it’s like to live in a smaller country community.”
Retiring Goulburn MP Pru Goward had visited the hospital on several occasions and said she knew "how hard the nurses work" and that she appreciated "the care the clinicians provide".
"The hospital performs a vital role and will continue to be an important part of health care in our region," Ms Goward said. “Wendy Tuckerman and I are both fighting hard for more investment in the emergency department." Ms Tuckerman added she had done "my due diligence with the local health department and requested a meeting with the minister".
Labor candidate Dr Ursula Stephens also visited the hospital, on Tuesday, February 12. Dr Stephens acknowledged there was strong community concern that the hospital needed an upgrade of its ED to improve patient and staff safety, and to provide another bed.
“The council argues that the sealing of the road to Bathurst has quadrupled the traffic through Crookwell and that BSW Health suggests that as Crookwell is only 30 minutes from Goulburn there won’t be any significant upgrade," she said.
“I’m not making a funding commitment. However, I have taken the issue to the Shadow Minister for Health.”
