Shortland federal MP Pat Conroy, along with Labor’s candidate for Hunter Dan Repacholi, met angry residents and local doctors today to discuss the urgent need to save Lake Macquarie’s GP Access After Hours (GPAAH) services.
As a direct result of a $560,000 funding cut from the national Coalition, from 1 January, the GPAAH clinics at both Belmont Hospital and Westlakes Community Health Centre in Toronto will be forced to reduce their operating hours in half on weekends and public holidays.
It follows on from a decision to close GPAAH at the Calvary Mater from Christmas Eve, due to the Australian Government’s cutbacks and freezes to Medicare.
Other similar services will be affected at John Hunter and Maitland hospitals, too.
Last month, Newcastle federal MP Sharon Claydon presented a petition to Minister for Health Greg Hunt, with more than 11,000 signatures, to salvage GPAAH at Calvary Mater but it appears that gesture was in vain.
In fact, he failed to respond to the local member personally, opting to palm-off that responsibility to his Chief of Staff Joanne Tester instead.
Fronting a concerned crowd at Toronto Diggers on Saturday 11 December, Mr Conroy admitted the government’s stance could be an unfortunate sign of “things to come” in the future.
“There is a review currently sitting on Mr Hunt’s desk, which if approved will see the remaining $4 million of funding for the Hunter’s GPAAH clinics slashed to just $1 million,” he said.
“If that happens, that will effectively be the end of this vital service.”
Mr Conroy described the cuts as “nonsensical”.
“Families and doctors have told me they are outraged, worried and, quite frankly, in disbelief,” he said.
“No one can understand why the Morrison-Joyce government would cut the funding to this essential health service.
“This is just the latest attack from the Liberals-Nationals who seem content to continuously threaten the health outcomes of people in our community.”
Mr Repacholi, recently named to replace retiring MP Joel Fitzgibbon, said the Hunter cannot afford to lose the GPAAH service.
“These clinics are as important for families as they are for our health system as a whole, as they take stress off emergency departments and reduce wait times for patients,” he stated.
“It beggar’s belief that the Australian Government would attack the service during a global pandemic.
“The health and wellbeing of my community is invaluable.
“And, I will fight tooth and nail to save our GPAAH clinics.”
Read more:
- Claydon slams cuts to much-loved Hunter Primary Care service
- Hunter MPs take up fight to save GP Access After Hours service
- Claydon fuming after Minister stays silent on GP Access After Hours cuts
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