Cootamundra residents urged to sign petition against proposed health service cuts

With the loss of intensive care paramedic services and the future of Cootamundra’s health services set to change, residents are being urged to sign a petition.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has put forward a petition that will call on the parliament to maintain current service levels at Cootamundra Hospital and reject any proposed cuts to pathology services in the region.

“Thank you to all who have already signed and to those volunteers who have helped and continue to help with the petition,” Ms Cooke said in a statement.

“We have already achieved 1300 signatures of the 10,000 required, so we are well on our way.”

In June 2024, 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.

“It seems that we have had a reprieve in relation to the maternity and theatre services however NSW Pathology seems intent on closing the Cootamundra Pathology Unit,” said Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council Mayor Abb McAlister.

“The message from the community has been clear – cuts like these to local health services are unacceptable.

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

Cr McAlister said NSW Pathology justified the closure of the unit by citing challenges in retaining adequately trained staff.

“What we need is more effort by NSW Health to ensure that staff are appropriately trained and retained,” he said.

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

“We have already seen essential drugs and equipment removed from non-category A and B NSW Ambulance stations and vehicles.

“This limits the ability of intensive care paramedics to perform their duties and puts rural lives at risk.”

Cr McAlister said that for intensive care paramedics to fully perform their duties, the NSW Government must reinstate essential drugs and equipment to all non-category A and B NSW Ambulance stations and vehicles.

“The petitions are widely distributed across shops, and I strongly urge the residents of the Cootamundra- Gundagai Regional Council area to take a few moments to sign the petition supporting the maintenance and reinstatement of these services,” he said.

In December 2024 the Cootamundra community launched the major campaign to oppose cuts to Cootamundra Hospital services at a public rally.

To sign the Save Cootamundra’s Pathology, Surgical and Birthing Departments petition, click here to download and print the petition.

Return the signed petition to PO Box 350, Young or to Ms Cooke’s offices at Young: 140 Boorowa Street, Young or Junee: 25 Seignior Street, Junee.

Ms Cooke urges locals not to hesitate and call for further information and clarification.

Please note you can only sign the petition once and the original document needs to be returned, but it doesn’t matter how many signatures are on the page.