Inquiry chair Clayton Barr MP had to cool things down during a fiery hearing this week. Photo: NSW Legislative Assembly.
A tense parliamentary hearing into problems at Griffith Base Hospital has seen local MP Helen Dalton told to “chill” while questioning health bureaucrats over why residents are still forced to travel to Wagga for treatment of broken bones.
The inquiry is examining Mrs Dalton’s push to split Griffith Base Hospital from its Wagga-based administrators at the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD).
“We were promised last year that the rehab ward would be open and we were promised 24/7 orthopaedics, which we still haven’t got,” Mrs Dalton told a panel of senior health bureaucrats.
MLHD announced in 2022 it had hired two orthopaedic surgeons for the hospital. However, multiple sources have told Region that neither has performed any procedures there, and at least one has since resigned.
“I know we’ve got a beautiful new hospital, however, it’s no good without those services,” Mrs Dalton said.
In response, acting MLHD chief executive Carla Bailey said there were currently three orthopaedic surgeons employed at the hospital.
She said the hospital was following a “settle, move, grow” process, with surgeons beginning with simple procedures and gradually moving to more complex operations as more staff were recruited.
“Currently the roster does not cover … full-time services, so there’s still a need to refer patients to Wagga. The roster does not allow for 24/7 orthopaedics in Griffith,” she said.
Mrs Dalton sought answers on missing services. Photo: NSW Legislative Assembly.
Region understands the three orthopaedic surgeons employed at the hospital are visiting medical officers who do not live in Griffith and spend limited time treating public patients.
Another committee member asked whether slow recruitment processes were preventing the hospital from securing staff.
“It may be six months before the job offer comes, and by then they’ve moved on to something else,” she said.
Ms Bailey said the average recruitment time was around 30 days, but acknowledged there could be delays due to compliance and paperwork requirements.
At that point, a frustrated Mrs Dalton interjected.
“We were promised 24/7 orthopaedic surgeons in 2022,” she said.
“OK, can we just chill, please,” inquiry chair Clayton Barr cut in, moving to defuse the rising tension before directing Mrs Dalton to finish up her questions so others could have a turn.
Local health advocate Brendan Catanzariti told Region the MLHD was totally misrepresenting the extent of orthopaedic services at the hospital.
“When will this administration stop blatantly deceiving the public?” he asked.
“The previous health minister said we would have two full-time orthopaedic surgeons in 2022. You could count on one hand the number of emergency surgeries undertaken since then.
“The health inquiry has brought to light the shortcomings of this current administration and management, and hopefully the minister will have the guts to change this broken regime.”
Mr Catanzariti said the vast majority of patients who presented to the local hospital with fractures were still being sent to Wagga. He also said a 20-bed rehabilitation ward and a step-down emergency department ward also remained unopened at the hospital.
