LAKE Macquarie MP Greg Piper is still hopeful the Morisset districts will have their own hospital despite a Hunter New England Health (HNEH) review that concluded it isn't needed.
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"There is clear evidence that HNEH has a strong resistance to Morisset having anything even resembling a hospital in the area," Mr Piper told the Lakes Mail.
Given the review's findings, Mr Piper used question time in Parliament to ask Health Minister Jillian Skinner what action she would take.
"It seems absurd to me that hospitals are all in the wrong places and the one opportunity to put a hospital in the right place, in the old Morisset Hospital grounds, is ignored," he said.
"That site is spacious for any size building and parking and more importantly perhaps, it is close to essential transport. It is close to Morisset rail station, the F3 Freeway and is connected by bus services from Belmont, Swansea and even Cessnock. It's the perfect place," he said.
Mr Piper said the hard-working volunteers on the Southlake Integrated Health Care Committee, who are lobbying for a hospital in Morisset, appreciated the time and attention shown by Minister Skinner.
"The fact remains, though, the area is growing yet still the government is unable to tell us how it will satisfy our future medical needs," he said.
"Break a limb or suffer any serious but non-fatal injury and still you have to travel 30 or more kilometres to John Hunter or Wyong and tie up an ambulance for hours in the process.
"The committee is pushing hard and won't give up, though I appreciate our medical costs are a major part of the NSW government's budget."
Health Minister will focus on existing services
HEALTH Minister Jillian Skinner said she was aware of the local push for a hospital, and had read submissions from locals.
But she reiterated HNEH's findings that the services most needed in the Morisset area are "primary general practitioner-type" health care services rather than those provided by "an acute inpatient hospital".
"I am advised that HNEH's focus will be on collaborating with the [Morisset] working party to agree on a way forward that will build on existing services such as ambulatory care services, which include providing child and family nursing services, a regular immunisation clinic, a new parents group and an early parenting group and child and adolescent mental health services in the form of an outreach clinic," Ms Skinner told parliament.
The Morisset working party - comprising HNEH, Lake Macquarie City Council and the Southlake Integrated Health Care Committee - was formed to assess future demand for health services in the area and to develop strategies to address service gaps.
