McLaren Vale Hospital cuts cause pain in the South
31-July-2012
Plans to cut $1.5 million from the not-for-profit community based McLaren Vale and Districts Memorial Hospital may result in loss of life or serious injury as occurred at Keith Memorial Hospital after similar funding cuts were made.
“A public patient collapsed in the car park at Keith Hospital on 28th April and had to be airlifted to Adelaide after being told he would have to drive to Bordertown or Murray Bridge” Shadow Minister for Health Martin Hamilton-Smith said.
“Mr Ken Oates subsequently died of severe septic shock and multiple organ failure. The Coroner is expected to consider the matter.
“The KPMG report Labor is using to justify the cut of the $1.5 million annual fee provided for gynaecological, post-acute, post-natal and day surgical services states that there were 648 separations in 2011-12.
“That is a lot of patients who may be turned away and asked to travel to Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) or Noarlunga Hospital particularly locals recovering from surgery or birth.
“The government is using the same excuse it used at Balaklava Hospital to cut surgical services; ‘a recent clinical safety and quality audit’. Is this device an excuse for cuts?
“The cut to McLaren Vale Hospital mirrors cuts at Noarlunga and FMC, what does Labor have against the people of the south?
“The Liberal Opposition successfully fought for the reinstatement of funding to Keith Hospital and will now add McLaren Vale to the list of hospitals to be saved from Labor’s razor which includes Moonta, Ardrossan and Glenelg.
“Labor’s Sustainable Budget Commission identified 17 country hospitals for closure. Where will the axe fall next?
“All these cuts could have been avoided if Labor had managed Health’s finances conscientiously over the last ten years. Instead there had been waste, qualified Auditor-General’s report and millions blown” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.