The federal government has stepped into the breach to fix up the ailing emergency department at Casino Hospital.
Although hospitals are a state government responsibility, an urgently needed upgrade to the emergency department was going begging for the sake of just $3 million.
Eventually federal member for Page, Kevin Hogan, lobbied then federal health minister Peter Dutton for the funds after their state government colleagues, local member Thomas George and state health minister Jillian Skinner, failed to find them.
‘It is great that the federal government was able to deliver $3 million dollars to ensure that emergency services could continue to be delivered in Casino.’ Mr Hogan said at yesterday’s opening.
The upgraded facilities include: a new triage area; two new resuscitation bays; a redesigned ambulance entry/ four new treatment bays; relocation of the emergency waiting area; piped medical gasses provided into the emergency resuscitation bays and a multifunctional safe assessment room.
Also included were an emergency department staff room, a new public toilet, a refurbished utility room and improved security.
Ten years ago I was a member of the then area health’s participation forum (quasi community consultation set up to make health bureaucrats self-satisfied) and Casino Hospital was identified as an urgent must fix. Why has it taken so long? Because the further from Macquarie St the easier it is to ignore. Shame on you Jillian Skinner et al.