Cootamundra residents to rally to save hospital services

Murrumbidgee Health District announced maternity services at Cootamundra Hospital would be discontinued. Photo: Mattinbgn.

With the future of Cootamundra’s health services set to change, local community members will rally against cuts to the town’s hospital.

The Cootamundra community will launch a major campaign to oppose cuts to Cootamundra Hospital services at a public rally on Saturday (14 December) at 10 am at Jubilee Park.

In June, the Cootamundra community was notified that maternity services at Cootamundra Hospital would be discontinued under the Murrumbidgee Local Health District’s (MLHD) draft Health Services Plan (HSP) for the Cootamundra Health Service.

“The community’s message is clear – these cuts to local health services are unacceptable,” said Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes. “This is an issue that transcends politics. It’s about protecting essential health services for the region.

“The closure of Cootamundra’s pathology lab would mean longer wait times for critical diagnostic information and could compromise patient care, particularly in emergency situations.

“We’re calling on the NSW Government to reverse this decision and ensure our community has access to the health services it deserves.”

If approved, the new draft plan will see a drop in inpatient beds from 30 to 24, a rise in triage beds, the hospital’s first CT space, added staffing accommodation and the potential culling of the surgery and birthing suites.

The plan notes that the change in spaces and available beds reflects the projections for an increase in demand for medical beds and a decrease in surgery and birthing needs, stating that Temora, Young and Wagga Wagga services are better and more likely to be chosen by patients.

Between 500 and 1000 residents are expected to attend the rally – along with Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke, Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council mayor Abb McAlister, and deputy mayor Rosalind Wight – where a petition opposing the cuts will be launched for presentation to NSW Parliament.

The petition will call on the parliament to maintain current service levels at Cootamundra Hospital and reject any proposed cuts to pathology services in the region.

In July, Member for Riverina Michael McCormack voiced strong opposition in parliament to the proposed cuts to the maternity services at Cootamundra Hospital.

“It’s simply not good enough, and these bureaucrats should pull their bloody heads in and realise that this community needs maternity services,” Mr McCormack told parliament.

“They need them now, and they need them going into the future.

“The Cootamundra community has been told that pathology, maternity and surgery are not going to happen any longer under these proposed changes, and it’s simply not good enough.”

MLHD said the HSP outlined the services required for the next 10 years and made recommendations about the best way to deliver them. The plan outlined changes in activity and workforce challenges in the future.