Geoff Helisma
Clarence Valley Council (CVC) will write to various politicians and bureaucrats to notify them of the council’s “absolute disapproval and strong objection to the consolidation of patients and staff into one ward at Maclean District and to any other downgrade of the hospital”.
Councillors made the unanimous decision at an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday March 10.
The meeting was called by the mayor, Jim Simmons, before the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) announced that it would call off proposed changes at the hospital, pending the formation of the Maclean Community Advisory Group, which the NNSWLHD says “will provide advice, feedback and guidance on a range of plans and initiatives”.
The committee will meet four to six times per year.
Councillors also decided that CVC will “express an interest to the Northern NSW Local Health District that the mayor and general manager be invited to join the community working advisory group”.
Councillors’ resolution: That CVC “notifies the Premier of NSW the Hon. Gladys Berejiklian, NSW Minister for Health and Medical Research, the Hon. Brad Hazzard, Member for Clarence the Hon. Chris Gulaptis, the Northern NSW Local Health District Board of Directors and the NSW Local Health District Chief Executive, Wayne Jones, the NSW State Government Opposition Leader the Hon. Jodi McKay, NSW Shadow Minister for Rural Health, the Hon. Kate Washington, and NSW Opposition Duty Officer for Clarence the Hon. Adam Searle, of its absolute disapproval and strong objection to the consolidation of patients and staff into one ward at Maclean District Hospital and to any other downgrade of the hospital and that Council calls on the board to withdraw its ward closure proposal”.
In his mayoral minute, Cr Simmons pointed out that CVC “had received no information or had any contact from the Northern NSW Local Health Board, nor anyone else regarding the consolidation of the hospital wards”.
“Population of the Lower Clarence continues to increase, there are substantial developments under construction and also pending approval, holiday parks have heavy bookings during holiday periods and weekends,” he wrote.
“Off ramps from the new motorway are at Maclean’s entrances.
“There have been significant improvements to Maclean District Hospital wards in recent years such as additional bathrooms to the second ward plus the construction of a new larger helipad at the hospital.
“The ‘reconfiguration’ has a lot of opposition in the Lower Clarence community.
“The hospital auxiliary has raised a lot of money for equipment at the hospital and I understand currently has fundraised $140,000 to date for purchase of another item of equipment for the hospital.”
Councillor Jason Kingsley was absent.