Thousands sign hospital petition

The Save Woy Woy Hospital Action Committee petition has recorded more than 3000 signatures from local residents concerned about the loss of the 15-bed rehabilitation ward last December.

Group publicity officer Mr Keith Farrell said it was reassuring to see the petition grow with community support.

"The petition is building up a head of steam with many locals whose parents had been nursed back to full condition at the rehab signing on," Mr Farrell said.

"At our recent public meeting held on May 2, we established that we were still waiting for answers to sensible questions about the fate of the rehabilitation ward previously at Woy Woy."

"I haven't seen any community consultation," group chairman Mr Bob Mudge said.

"It makes you wonder.

"We are advised on a fairly constant basis that representatives from the Healthscope private hospital have inspected the rehab ward several times, tape measures in hand.

"There was confirmation (from NSW Health) some time ago that an approach was indeed made, and since these inspections, we would like to know if a reply was forthcoming (which you would of course expect) even if the answer was no.

"No matter what the NSW Health purports about internal versus external reports, the population and geographic spread cry out for more than one facility and more than just 30 beds."

Mr Farrell also raised the issue of the medical equipment raised through local charity fundraisers.

"From our last public meeting we found a little more about the equipment that local charities donated - particularly the 30 modern hospital beds," Mr Farrell said.

"Not a happy tale - nor a particularly well or clearly documented one.

"Over the years we saw various volunteer's efforts into flyer distribution or fund-raising with cake and lamington drives just like in the 1950's when Woy Woy hospital itself was established.

"One important piece of information some readers might help us with was when the land for the hospital was made - were there any conditions that went with it, such as whether to always be in public or private hands - and for what purpose?

"Although any fate of the hospital itself is a separate issue to the rehabilitation ward, that piece of knowledge might well have ramifications, as the NSW government itself found out when it made irreversible changes to a hospital with intentions to privatise.

"That was until it found the deed precluded their plans."

The group's next public meeting will take place on May 30, from 2pm in the hall behind St Luke's Anglican Church in Blackwall Rd, Woy Woy.

For more information, visit www.woywoyrehab.org

Press release, 9 May 2009 Keith Farrell, Save Woy Woy Hospital Action Committee