Hospital future in jeopardy

The future of Woy Woy Hospital is in jeopardy.

It has been identified as one of 117 NSW hospitals that senior health clinicians claim are unlikely to survive under proposed Federal Health reforms.

The Daily Telegraph reported on Friday, March 5, that Woy Woy Hospital was currently "block-funded" and considered "financially unviable" under the Federal Government's plans for a "pay-for-service" model.

Shadow Minister for the Central Coast, Mr Chris Hartcher, said the NSW Liberals would protect Woy Woy hospital by creating a Central Coast Health District with its own board.

This would allow the Central Coast community to protect the future of local hospitals, such as Woy Woy and Long Jetty.

Shadow Minister for Health Ms Jillian Skinner said: "The NSW Liberals will abolish Labor's failed Northern Sydney-Central Coast Area Health Services, replacing it with a smaller Central Coast Health District, which will put health care back in the hands of the Central Coast community and local medical experts, giving the community the opportunity to protect its local health services.

"Unfortunately Labor does not share our commitment to health services on the Central Coast.

"Central Coast families deserve a guarantee their hospitals and community health facilities have a future - the NSW Liberals are willing to give that guarantee."

She said it was time the Local Member, Ms Marie Andrews, signed up to smaller health administrative bodies and allowed the Central Coast community to determine the future of their local health services."

Mr Hartcher said Ms Andrews should say whether or not she wanted the Area Health Service to be broken up and localised.

Website, 5 Mar 2010 Simon Benson, Daily Telegraph Press release, 5 Mar 2010 Jillian Skinner, Shadow Minister for Health Chris Hartcher, Shadow Minister for the Central Coast