Nimbin residents to rally against holiday health cuts

Nimbin residents will rally today in protest against a lack of health services during the holiday period.

The rally follows reports that nursing staff hours at the Nimbin Multi Purpose Service will be reduced, and that there is no replacement for the doctor.

Greens candidate for Lismore, Adam Guise said cutting the equivalent of one nurse’s work hours every weekday over the holiday season was a threat to patient safety and overwhelmed existing staff.

‘It’s unacceptable that a holiday destination as busy as Nimbin should have its health staff cut over a period they are needed most,’ Mr Guise said.

‘With no ambulance based in Nimbin and no doctor rostered over the holiday period, this is a crisis in the making for already overstretched emergency services.

‘Management should not be doing the government’s bidding by making ruthless staffing cuts, but should instead be demanding adequate funding for an essential health service.

‘It’s ludicrous that the government spends millions of dollars on police for drug raids in Nimbin, yet refuses to protect the health of residents by adequately funding health services.

‘I call on Northern NSW Local Health District and the NSW government to step in and reinstate funding for the lost nurse hours and ensure that there is a doctor on duty over the break.’

The rally begins with speeches in Allsopp Park (opposite the pub) at 11:30am and will finish with a march to the Nimbin MPS.