The Special Commission of Inquiry into the NSW health system ordered by Labor Premier Morris Iemma must address problems confronting the shortage of hospital beds on Sydney’s Northside, according to the Member for Davidson Jonathan O’Dea.
“While the Government has said it will build a new Northern Beaches Hospital at Frenchs Forest, proper funding has not yet been allocated in budget projections. With the state wide hospital bed shortage, more has to be spent on health,” Mr O’Dea said.
“Many constituents have contacted my office with their own bad experiences at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH), which was the focus of the recent inquest that preceded the current Commission of Inquiry.
“Although the Coalition believes a Royal Commission rather than a Special Commission would have a greater chance of investigating the wide range of problems confronting the health system, we urge the Commissioner to investigate the problems confronting health services on the Northside and elsewhere.
“One of the misconceptions that has to be addressed is that people in Sydney’s North can all afford private health care. It is this type of thinking that has contributed to the decline and under funding of RNSH.
“The Commissioner will no doubt hear of people who waited many hours in hospitals for care, he will how nurse shortages mean patients are not given medications prescribed and he will hear of doctors working under extremely stressful conditions because they are so short-staffed.
The hardworking doctors, nurses and allied health professionals as well as the long suffering patients of the NSW health system deserve to have their concerns heard and properly addressed.”
For further information, please call Jonathan O’Dea on 0418 241 500.
