Hopefully the much promised & long awaited redevelopment of Grafton Base Hospital will begin under the NSW Minns Labor Government

Since 2011 successive NSW Coalition Governments had been making promises about upgrading or redeveloping Grafton Base Hospital.

Having received $19 million in 2010-11 from the federal Rudd Labor Government a new emergency department & operating theatres were eventually built largely due to community pressure and effective lobbying by the then NSW Labor Member for Clarence.

However, by 2018 the NSW Berejiklian Coalition Government was only promising to spend $263.8 million to achieve the much needed larger redevelopment.

Half promises to this effect began to appear in December 2018, while the then Nationals MP for Clarence made repetitive promises during the following year 2019 - after which he rather ignored the growing unmet need for public hospital health services in the Clarence Valley unless cornered by local media for comment.

As late as 25 January 2023 the junior partner in the NSW Perrottet Coalition Government was still promising that substantial rebuild in this election promise similar to the one made in 2019:

Regional Health and Mental Health Minister Bronnie Taylor, Nationals’ Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis, and Nationals’ candidate for Clarence Richie Williamson have announced a major step forward in the $264 million Grafton Base Hospital redevelopment.

So it comes as something of a relief that the redevelopment of Grafton Base Hospital appears to have moved on from promises towards concrete build planning.

NSW Health, media release, 8 January 2025:

A healthy future for the Old Grafton Gaol

08 January 2025

The Grafton Base Hospital Redevelopment has taken an important step forward, with a portion of the former Grafton Gaol set to be acquired from Property and Development NSW to support the upgrade of the hospital.

The Minns Labor Government is investing $263.8 million in the Grafton Base Hospital Redevelopment to improve health outcomes and meet the growing needs of Grafton and surrounding communities.

In addition to the site acquisition, a Development Application has been approved by the Northern Regional Planning Panel to refurbish two administration blocks within the former minimum-security portion, on the north-eastern corner of the gaol, to provide contemporary administrative, office and training support facilities.

Clinical services will remain on the existing Grafton Hospital site.

The former Grafton Gaol operated between 1893 and 2020, it was closed following the opening of the new Grafton Correctional Centre in Lavadia. The former Grafton Goal was added to the state’s Heritage Register in 1999.

The adaptive reuse of a portion of the former gaol site aligns with the conservation management plan prepared for the site in 2021, to ensure areas of heritage significance within the site are preserved and activated.

Work is underway on the planning and design for the main works of the $263.8 million Grafton Base Hospital Redevelopment, which will deliver a new three-storey acute services building, including a new Emergency Department, Emergency Short Stay, Medical Imaging and MRI, and inpatient unit.

The current Day Surgery and Operating Suite will be expanded to provide two additional operating theatres, increasing overall capacity. Construction timeframes for the full redevelopment will be confirmed once planning has been finalised and a builder has been appointed, with the refurbishment works at the former gaol site expected to start this year.

For more information visit: Grafton Base Hospital Redevelopment

Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“The acquisition of this section of the old Grafton Gaol will provide critical new space to support the redevelopment of Grafton Base Hospital.

“This multi-million dollar redevelopment will improve healthcare capacity and ensure the hospital has the best, most up to date models of care for the residents of Grafton and the surrounding communities.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper:

“The transfer of this part of the subdivided site to NSW Health ensures the Old Grafton Goal doesn’t remain an unused relic.

“This great outcome enables new uses for this important community asset, while also providing a major economic benefit for the Grafton community.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong:

“We have delivered another important milestone to revitalise and reuse one of our state’s key former correctional centres.

“Grafton Gaol is an iconic place with a somewhat dark history, so it is wonderful we are delivering a positive new chapter that will ensure this monument serves the local community for years to come.”

Quotes attributable to Labor Spokesperson for Clarence, Emily Suvaal MLC:

“This is a fantastic outcome for the Grafton and Clarence communities as it secures the future use of this historic site, which will really benefit the local residents.”

Concept designs unveiled for Grafton Base Hospital Redevelopment

From Berejiklian in 2018 through to Perrottet in 2023 - the many promises made by the NSW Coalition Government to fund redevelopment of Grafton Base Hospital

 

THE IDENTIFIED NEED

The Daily Examiner, 31 July 2018, p.1:

Grafton Base Hospital will offer inpatient mental health services when a $263.8million redevelopment is funded.

For the first time the Northern NSW Local Health District has made the hospital its number one priority in its Asset Strategic Plan for 2018/19.

The Daily Examiner, 20 October 2018, p.4:

In July the Northern NSW Local Health District made a rebuild of the hospital its top priority for the coming year at a cost of $263.8million.

It’s report on the priority listing noted the hospital was close to capacity with inpatient beds, emergency, renal dialysis and chemotherapy infrastructure expected to reach capacity by 2022 and infrastructure for ambulatory care services was to reach capacity in 2020.

It also noted the construction of Australia’s largest jail, due for completion south of Grafton at the end of 2020, would also place stresses on the region’s health services.

The Daily Examiner, 22 November 2018, p.5:

Clarence Valley Council has also thrown its support behind the redevelopment of the Grafton Base Hospital.

It will write to the premier, deputy premier, minister for health, and member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis expressing its support for the $263.8m redevelopment.

THE HALF-PROMISES BEGIN

The Daily Examiner, 8 December 2018, p.22:

More hospital funding remains in his sights with the potential $268 million rebuild of the tired piece of infrastructure.

The Daily Examiner, 19 December 2018, p. 9:

Mr Gulaptis said he was continuing to pressure the government to allocate the $268 million funding for the hospital…..

THE REPETITIVE PROMISES

Clarence Valley Independent, 13 March 2019:

Gulaptis promise of $263m Grafton Hospital overhaul

The Daily Examiner, 21 June 2019, p.3: 

The $263 million commitment to the Grafton Base Hospital redevelopment was made in the final weeks of the campaign in March and is just one of many major infrastructure promises outlined in the 2019-20 Budget Papers. However, there there was no specific line item in the 2019-20 Budget and Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis was quick to point out it would take time.”

The Daily Mercury, 31 July 2020:

HEALTH NEEDS CONTINUE UNMET

North Coast Voices, 21 February 2021:

PUBLIC HOSPITAL ELECTIVE SURGERY MEDIAN WAITING TIMES IN NORTH-EAST NSW......

Grafton Base Hospital:

Hip replacement - the median wait was 6 days in 2011-12 and blew out to 77 days by 2017-18 and latest figures for 2019-20 stand at 67 days.

Total knee replacement - the median wait was 10 days in 2011-12 and blew out to 145 days by 2017-18 and latest figures for 2019-20 stand at 135 days.

Shoulder joint replacement - the wait was 8 days in 2016-17 and blew out to 11 days by 2017-18 and latest figures for 2019-20 stand at less than 5 days.

Ophthalmology - the median wait was 285 days in 2011-12 and latest figures for 2019-20 stand at 326 days, the highest median waiting time in the last nine financial years.

Between July and September 2020 a total of 652 unspecified elective surgery procedures were performed.

Clarence Valley Independent, 10 August 2022: 

The Clarence Valley Independent hit the streets last week and asked members of the public to share their thoughts after the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) revealed Grafton Base Hospital (GBH) had no on-site obstetrician, or available locums to cover shortages, and subsequently, expectant and birthing mothers were being referred to Lismore Base Hospital and Coffs Harbour Health Campus.

The NNSWLHD released a second statement two days later, announcing staff had altered their rosters to ensure previously advised gaps in specialist obstetrician cover were filled.....

THE PROMISES CONTINUE AND SO DO THE PROBLEMS

NSW Nationals, media release, 25 January 2023:

Regional Health and Mental Health Minister Bronnie Taylor, Nationals’ Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis, and Nationals’ candidate for Clarence Richie Williamson have announced a major step forward in the $264 million Grafton Base Hospital redevelopment.

ABC News, 25 January 2023:

After her knee replacement surgery was cancelled twice last year, Yamba woman Rosalind Walsh could not bear to think it might happen again.

The 72-year-old was scheduled this week for orthopaedic work at Grafton Base Hospital in northern New South Wales, but was called on the day by hospital management asking her to stay home.

"They just said, 'We don't have a bed'," Ms Walsh said.

"They said, 'We can't do the surgery, but you're still booked in'."

Anaesthetist & former Grafton Medical Staff Council chair Allan Tyson said there were real repercussions for people who missed out.

"It is common," he said.

"We have to say, 'Sorry, you have to go home because the surgery can't be done'.

"It's not just elective surgery, if you can't walk."

Dr Tyson said the Grafton hospital was operating well beyond its capacity.

"We've got 18 patients in a ward today that is funded for eight patients," he said.

"Last week our fly-in surgeon missed out on three or four joint surgeries that we should have done, but didn't have the bed space.

"In the end, it's our patients that miss out."

For Rosalind Walsh, however, a long wait outside the hospital was worth it.

The ABC understands hospital management was able to redirect patients from the emergency department, resulting in a spare bed so Ms Walsh could have her knee surgery & recover in hospital.

Paid doctors with nowhere to work

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones said surgeons, including those flying in to regional hospitals to help reduce elective surgery waitlists, were at times unable to operate.

"As chief executive it hurts to the bone to pay money I'm not getting a return on," he said.

"The reality is at times you can't avoid that.

"There is [an] unprecedented bed block that we're experiencing."

Mr Jones said administrators were planning as much as they could.

"It is worth noting that we're seeing a real decline in those overdue waits, over the last four or five months, as we're starting to develop more models of care," he said.

"We're doing surgery in our smaller facilities, we're freeing up beds & facilities in places like Grafton, so we are getting through more."

NSW Regional Health Minister Bronnie Taylor visited the hospital this week to commit to a new $274-million new hospital in Grafton — a similar pledge to a 2019 state election promise…...

The truth about Grafton Hospital funding

From The Daily Examiner letters to the editor pages in April-May 2013.

HE SAID:

Truth about hospital

I take deep umbrage to the statement by Shirley Adams that Janelle Saffin is the only one to do anything for Grafton and the Valley.
Shirley has never been backward in blowing her own trumpet but she knows very well what was achieved in my time as member.
The community centre, South Grafton levee, the hockey complex, the Airport Road, upgrades to state and private schools, a new railway station, the tourist centre, the list can go on.
The Grafton hospital is a good case in point. John Howard asked me to identify a project in my electorate to be funded from the surpluses we were achieving in government. I chose Grafton Base Hospitable because the State Labor Government had been promising upgrades but nothing ever happened.
The estimated cost of upgrade at the time was $18million.
John Howard came to Grafton and announced that the Federal Government would provide $18million to upgrade the hospital but he would give the money to a local committee because he did not trust the State Labor Government to spend the money on the hospital. If John Howard had not made this commitment, there would have been no interest from Labor.
These commitments were made because we had money in the bank, not the legacy from Janelle Saffin - at present $272billion of debt. Interest alone on this debt is $8billion a year. How many Pacific Highways would that fund?
Shirley Adams, Dr Allan Tyson and The Daily Examiner were all at that press conference and heard the statement. None has had the decency to acknowledge that as fact. There was no election called and the money was immediately available.
Remember, hospitals and highways are state responsibilities under the constitution and John Howard was the first prime minister to offer federal help for health, the Pacific Hwy and money to local councils for rural roads.
The very fact that Janelle Saffin claims there was interest accumulating proves the money was in a dedicated account for Grafton hospital and not part of the budget process of the new government.
I am delighted that Grafton Base Hospital has finally been upgraded, but an outbreak of the truth in these matters, instead of blatant politics, would be a pleasant change.

 Ian Causley

Chatsworth

SHE SAID #1:

Unrealised promise

Ian Causley (The Daily Examiner, letters April 23) stated; "John Howard came to Grafton and announced that the Federal Government would provide $18 million to upgrade the hospital but he would give the money to a local committee because he did not trust the State Labor Government to spend the money on the hospital.
The very fact that Janelle Saffin claims there was interest accumulating proves the money was in a dedicated account for Grafton hospital and not part of the budget process of the new government."
Yes, John Howard was reported as making that announcement on October 10, 2007.
Four days before he announced his intention to call a federal election and seven days before the writs were issued, Parliament dissolved and the caretaker period commenced. (Australian Electoral Commission 2012).
Additionally, this promised hospital upgrade funding was not included in the Howard Government 2007 budget papers, in October there was no "local committee" for it to go to if it had actually been allocated and, on October 11, 2007 the NSW Government rejected this "election promise" (ABC News).
Then on November 24, 2007 the Coalition lost government and John Howard lost his seat. So Mr Causley's $18 million existed only as an unrealised promise and it is wrong of him to suggest otherwise.
Especially as in June 2008 the then NSW Nationals MP for Clarence identified federal Grafton Hospital upgrade funding as being provided by the Rudd Government.

Judith M. Melville

Yamba

SHE SAID #2:

The real truth

It is a bit sad that former member for Page Ian Causley (DEX April 23) feels the need to claim credit from retirement for delivering the Grafton Base Hospital redevelopment.
I acknowledge that Ian, after years of inaction, elicited an $18 million commitment out of former prime minister John Howard in the dying days of that government.
However, that pledge was unfunded and had strings attached. Mine was funded and came with no strings.
The big difference here is that my 2007 election commitments of $18 million for stage one and $5 million for the Grafton GP Super Clinic, made with former prime minister Kevin Rudd's full support, were rock solid.
I was the politician who actually delivered the goods. Federal Labor's $18 million was in the 2008-09 budget, the money went to the then NSW Labor Government, where it earned $1.2 million in interest while the project was being planned.
Ian is plainly wrong when he suggests that the money was in some dedicated federal account. It was not.
I lobbied former NSW health minister John Della Bosca for the interest to be directed to the project, which was unprecedented, and for his government to contribute a further $500,000 to planning.
I got both for our community.
I made sure, with Dr Allan Tyson's attention to detail and Shirley Adams OAM's vigilance, that a total of $19.7 million in funding was wisely spent on building a first-class emergency department, operating theatres, and some extras.
Ian's attack on Shirley, who is widely respected as one of the Clarence Valley's leading citizens, was unwarranted and petty.
He should know that it is not just about the funding.
Hard-working MPs then work with their community to bed down the project with bureaucrats, construction managers and staff.
This is how we, as a united local community, fought for and won first-class health facilities offering high standards of patient care.
And for the record, I secured and delivered a further $10 million for stage two of the Grafton Base upgrade, made up of $6 million from this federal government and $4 million from the then NSW government.

Janelle Saffin MP

Federal Member for Page

Clarence By-election: weeping with laughter in the first week of the unofficial election campaign

When I first read the health funding claims of Nationals candidate Chris Gulaptis I was frankly sceptical, given his past record of saying any old thing to support his position.

I searched the Internet until I found a copy of the agreement between the Commonwealth and the NSW Government concerning Grafton Base Hospital.

I also hunted cyberspace for any evidence that his predecessor had ever made the same claim.

Result – Gulaptis was incorrect in claiming either the NSW Nationals or the O'Farrell Government had supplied the entire amount of this funding or that Steve Cansdell had made a statement to that effect. Nor are his assertions concerning Maclean District Hospital correct.

When the media first queried the Gulaptis claim this is what he said:

Mr Gulaptis defended the figures he quoted, claiming they were in a press release Mr Cansdell sent out before his resignation on September 16.

"The $9 million is in relation to the orthopaedic ward and imaging expansion.

So it was to the accompaniment of helpless laughter that I read this article in The Daily Examiner today, in which he ends with an outright misrepresentation of his original statements and a bald untruth about the funding process, as well as omitting to mention the fact that the Commonwealth has already begun scheduled funding payments:

Poll stoush over hospital funding  by Tim Howard

THE Nationals candidate for the Clarence by-election, Chris Gulaptis, has been caught out with claims the State Government has stumped up $9 million for Grafton Base Hospital says an opponent.

Following his preselection on Sunday, Mr Gulaptis included a figure of $9 million for Grafton Base Hospital among "hundreds of millions of dollars" the Nationals had directed toward the Valley since the March State election.

The chairman of the hospital Medical Staff Council, Allan Tyson, questioned the claim on Monday and yesterday the Country Labor candidate Peter Ellem accused Mr Gulaptis of "overstretching" with the claim.

"Mr Gulaptis, either through ignorance or incompetence, is inappropriately claiming credit for Grafton Base Hospital funding provided by the Commonwealth and former State Labor governments last year," Mr Ellem said.

"I'm calling on Mr Gulaptis to provide the budget details of his claim - where is the $9 million for Grafton Base Hospital?

"If it is the same $6 million from the Commonwealth and the $4 million announced by the former Labor State government, Mr Gulaptis should apologise for misleading the local community.

The claim has also angered Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin, who worked hard to make sure the money came to the hospital during the 2010 Federal election campaign.

"I'm furious that someone can try and take credit for something they had nothing to do with," Ms Saffin said.

"What he's saying is wrong in fact and wrong in any sort of insinuation.

"And to attempt to blame Steve (Cansdell) left me speechless.

"I never saw any such release and I know Steve never tried to claim anything like this. He always said it was a good thing the hospital got that funding."

Mr Gulaptis defended his assertion yesterday, and upped it by $1 million.

"Over the course of the weekend I referred to the $10 million allocated to Grafton Hospital - one of many projects in the Clarence Electorate to receive funding in the 2011 State budget papers," Mr Gulaptis said in a prepared release.

"The NSW Government budget papers for the Liberal and Nationals' first State budget are clear and in black and white.

"There is a total of $10 million in COAG funding for Grafton Base Hospital, consisting of $4 million from the State Government and $6 million from the Federal Government.

"This is being delivered. It is not a promise from a former minister, nor an undertaking from a senior departmental officer but a hard-line item with funding from both the Federal and State governments to improve health infrastructure for the people of Clarence.

"Many State Labor health promises over the years were never delivered. The Nationals have actually handed down the funding for this project."

Writs for the Clarence By-election will not be issued until 28 October and candidate nominations only open on the same day. The NSW Nationals still have time to change their minds and rectify their biggest mistake this year.

Nationals candidate pushes local hospital board without consultation

A 4 October 2007 NSW Nationals media release has the Federal Nationals candidate for Page, Chris Gulaptis stating:
"The Grafton Base Hospital Community Committee could easily become the Grafton Local Hospital Board in line with the Federal Government decision to reinstate local boards as a condition of next year's Health Care Agreement between Canberra and the States, according to Page Nationals candidate Chris Gulaptis. Mr Gulaptis was speaking outside Grafton Hospital alongside members of the Grafton Hospital Community Committee including President Shirley Adams, OAM, and Grafton Hospital Medical Staff Council boss Dr Alan Tyson. The Grafton Committee is perfectly set up to take over management of the hospital and secure its future, Mr Gulaptis said."

Now wasn't that nice of Mr. Gulaptis. Not only does he anticipate that the Clarence Valley would be enthusiastically behind the idea of a local hospital board - he has even decided which people we would like on such a board.
Is this the way he would conduct community consultation if voters in Page sent him to Canberra?

Will the Clarence Valley see an upgrade of Grafton Base Hospital within the next three years or will it take a decade to commence?

Grafton Base Hospital is a 50-99 bed public health facility which offers health services to an est. 51,647 resident population in the Clarence Valley on the NSW North Coast and an additional annual tourist population which can reach or exceed 1 million visitors.

In the first quarter of 2019 ambulance arrivals at Grafton Hospital were up 11.5 per cent, emergency department presentations rose by 3 per cent, emergency presentations climbed by 4.2 per cent, hospital admissions increased by 14.9 per cent with acute admissions totalling 3,127 patients and the elective surgery waiting times continued to grow.

In that same quarter during the NSW state election campaign the Nationals MP for Clarence on behalf of the Berejiklian Coalition Government promised voters in the Clarence Electorate a much needed $263.8-million overhaul of Grafton Hospital.

At the time doubts were raised about the genuineness of this promise as it contained little detail.

Those doubts are now resurfacing……

The Daily Examiner, 21 June 2019, p.3:

A major hospital upgrade looks to be a while off as the Clarence Valley joins the long queue of regions promised big projects at the New South Wales election.

The $263million commitment to the Grafton Base Hospital redevelopment was made in the final weeks of the campaign in March and is just one of many major infrastructure promises outlined in the 2019-20 Budget Papers.

However, there there was no specific line item in the 2019-20 Budget and Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis was quick to point out it would take time.

“It’s not a line item as such as we are still in the very early planning stages but there is a commitment for works to commence during this term of government,” he said.

“In the meantime, consultation needs to occur between the LHD, clinicians and the community to ensure the redeveloped hospital is able to provide for the community into the future.”

Mr Gulaptis said he had received assurances from Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrotet and Deputy Premier John Barilaro that all election commitments would be honoured and provided a letter from Health Minister Brad Hazzard responding to representations he made after winning the election.

In the letter, Mr Hazzard said the project was one of many promised but work would still start before the end of the current term of parliament.

“In the period prior to the March election, the NSW Government announced a significant number of upgrades to hospital and health facilities across the state,” he said.

“This requires a prioritisation of when projects will commence over the next four years and will occur in alignment with the annual budget process.

“Once funding is made available through the budget process, Health Infrastructure will work with the local health district and clinical staff to progress the project through the planning stages.”......

Causley gets a well-deserved wigging in run up to the federal election

Apparently there were a few surprised faces on the NSW North Coast when the Nationals former Deputy-Speaker and former MP for Page Ian Causley claimed credit for money promised by Kevin Rudd during the 2007 federal election campaign and delivered by the Rudd Government along with further funding to date.

On the strength of a conditional election promise by John Howard in that same election campaign, never delivered because he and his government were not re-elected, Causley claimed credit for $18 million in federal funding in his letter to the editor published in The Daily Examiner on 11 May 2010.

Labor supporter Bill O'Donnell called this ploy in the same newspaper on 17 May:

Preposterous Causley

WHAT an extraordinary letter by Ian Causley trying to claim that the $18 million being spent on Grafton Hospital was his initiative.

Let's look at the facts.

After 11 years in John Howard's government the Nationals had delivered next to nothing in health spending in Page.

In fact, there was a report in the Daily Telegraph by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2007 that between 1995/6 and 2005/6 the Federal Government hospital funding decreased from 45 per cent to 41 per cent, while state funding rose from 46 per cent to 51 per cent.

The fact is that after 11 years, John Howard turns up at Grafton Hospital a few weeks before an election he knows he's lost and says I've got $18 million for you.

He knows he doesn't have to deliver because he will be gone.

It was a ploy to try to save Page for the Nationals.

Mind you, that's after 11 years of nothing.

It must be galling for Hartsuyker and Causley to see Janelle Saffin finally delivering the $18 million.

Grafton Hospital upgrade is up and running, with an additional $1.2 million added on.

Fifteen million dollars at Lismore for Lismore Base Hospital for an integrated cancer care centre and $9.1 million for enhanced cancer care service, including second linear accelerator and cancer patient and carer accommodation.

Five million dollars for Grafton Super Clinic.

The list is too long to enumerate, and we're only talking about health spending.

This morning I heard Luke Hartsuyker talking on ABC radio saying he hopes the Federal Budget has money for roads and hospitals.

What hypocrisy.

What did he ever do for hospitals and roads when he was in government?

He cut one billion dollars from hospital funding and in 11 years only spent 1.1billion on the Pacific Highway.

Rudd Labor has promised $3.3 billion after two years in office towards finishing the highway's upgrade.

The fact is that in 11 years in government the Nationals were incapable of delivering anything to the Page and Cowper electorates.

Perhaps they were too busy holed up with Howard, Costello and Abbot planning to abolish the Industrial Relations Commission and to cut workers of their hard-won rights built up over 100 years.

I have a feeling the elephant is still in the room, if they are ever re-elected.

What a breath of fresh air to finally have a hardworking member for Page, with the ability to attract funding to the electorate.

It's a pity Maclean Hospital isn't still in Page because the National Party member for Cowper has shown us his ability to attract funding to his electorate for anything is non-existent.

BILL O'DONNELL, Maclean

Saffin highlights problems with Maclean Hospital senior management staff cuts

On 3 June 2009 the Labor Member for Page, Janelle Saffin, stood in up the House of Representatives and spoke on behalf of the people of the Lower Clarence:

While Maclean District Hospital sits just outside my electorate of Page in Cowper, thousands of my constituents in the Lower Clarence rely on it. Many constituents hold real fears about the future of their hospital, particularly if the EO/DON is transferred to Grafton Base Hospital 45 kilometres away to become the DON for both Clarence Valley hospitals. Ordinarily such a centralisation proposal, obtained by the Daily Examiner newspaper, might make sense. However, coming at the same time as the North Coast Area Health Service is deleting a total of 400 positions from Tweed Heads to Port Macquarie for budgetary reasons, my constituents see this hospital management restructure as a body blow to their smaller hospital. The ladies of the Maclean Lower Clarence Hospital Auxiliary have written to me saying they cannot see how one director of nursing can be expected to provide fair management to two hospitals. Neither can I. They say:

This could well be a precursor to our hospital being downgraded even further and therefore jeopardising the level of service provided to our community, which continues to grow steadily, thus putting more pressure on the hospital and its staff.

While I understand the need for belt tightening in the context of responding to the global recession, I share the community concerns that the target of 400 positions will put too much pressure on front line health workers and potentially affect the quality and viability of hospital services. As a starting point, I am asking that the existing management arrangements for Maclean and Grafton hospitals remain in place and unchanged. I note in today's Northern Star, the newspaper at the other end of my electorate, that the editorial heading is 'Health system needs injection of sense'. I agree.

On a positive note I report that two of my major election commitments from 2007—redevelopment of Grafton Base Hospital's operating theatres and emergency department and the fast-tracking of Lismore Base Hospital's radiotherapy unit—are progressing well. At the end of budget week I returned to Grafton to see the North Coast Area Health Service Lodge a DA for three new operating theatres with the Clarence Valley Council. This was a milestone event for everyone who supports the hospital, particularly its Medical Staff Council Chair, Dr Allan Tyson; Grafton Community Health Committee Chair, Shirley Adams; Area Health Service Advisory Council member, Sandra Woods; and Clarence Valley Mayor, Councillor Richie Williamson. The council is expected to approve the planning application within weeks. The main building works tender will be let in September 2009. Construction is due to be completed in December 2010.

In this year's budget there was an announcement from Minister Roxon that the government would invest in a $560 million network of state-of-the-art regional cancer centres with associated accommodation centres. I am encouraging the Lismore district's medical fraternity and other community leaders to work with me to secure one of up to 10 such centres, enhancing the one that we have under development. We could have our PET scanner and accommodation service.

If you have not yet signed the petition to the NSW Minister for Health asking for reconsideration of these senior staff cuts, contact Jim Agnew on (02) 6646.1685 after 5pm each day for current locations of this petition.

Division over PM's plan for Grafton Hospital

According to the Clarence Valley Review today, divisions are emerging over John Howard's conditional offer of $18 million to upgrade Grafton Hospital.

 

This is how I see the division breaking down:

* The Rural Doctors Association welcomed the offer, but are unhappy with health funding being politicised in this way.

* The NSW branch of the Australian Medical Association thinks that the State should not accept the offer. Presumably because it was dependant on reinstituting the local hospital board system.

* The NSW Health Minister said the State Government would not be forced into "committing to a structure which would see money wasted on a third tier of administration and bureaucracy."

* Nationals candidate for the seat of Page, Chris Gulaptis, is all for establishing a local hospital board. But what else would one expect but the party line.

* Nationals-leaning local government councillor and chair of the hospital's community committee, Shirley Adams, is all for the offer and a local board. Probably because she has high hopes of being board president.

* Grafton Hospital medical council chair, Dr. Alan Tyson, thinks that the offer should be accepted because that's what the community would expect. This view of course does not depend on his having canvassed Clarence Valley community opinion in any meaningful way.

* Labor candidate for the seat of Page, Janelle Saffin, points out that this one-off offer and the creation of a local hospital board would not bring in "another doctor, another nurse, another dollar, wouldn't treat another patient."

 

It's time ordinary people in the Clarence Valley had their say.

NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, June 2023: between Grafton and Maclean Hospitals another 40 nurses are needed to provide adequate staffing levels

 

Grafton Base Hospital is a Level 3/4 rural community hospital with an est. 68 bed inpatient capacity which provides acute medical, surgical, orthopaedic, paediatric, anaesthetic, geriatric, obstetric and maternity, intensive and critical care, renal, oncology, palliative care, emergency, some specialist outpatient services and day surgery facilities. Maclean District Hospital is a Level 3 rural community hospital with an est. <43 inpatient bed capacity, an inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and a Day Surgery Unit.

Clarence Valley Independent, 14 June 2023:

Between Grafton and Maclean Hospitals another 40 nurses are needed to provide adequate staffing levels say the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association as the Local Health District tries to fill 180 nursing vacancies across the region.

NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Clarence Valley branch secretary Thea Koval said without agency nursing staff being called in, who are paid significantly more than NSW Health nurses, Maclean and Grafton hospitals would struggle to operate.

“Without agency nursing staff our hospitals would not be able to be run with the nurses employed only by NSW Health,” she said.

“Without that external agency support we would be completely drowning, there just would not be enough staff.”

Ms Koval said both Grafton and Maclean hospitals are continuing to experience increasing numbers of patients presenting to the emergency department ED, which leads to increasing wait times until they are treated.

This combined with the lack of nursing staff, Ms Koval said is leading to a decline in patient care.

“We are constantly and have been for the last 10 years saying that the amount of staff we have is not enough to provide the care we are expected to our patients,” she said.

“That can range anywhere from not being able to provide a shower, so there’s patients going without showers on the wards, to people waiting excessive amounts of time in ED to be seen by a nurse, or once they’re seen by a nurse waiting for pain relief, waiting to be helped to the toilet or delays in getting antibiotics.”

Ms Koval said the frustrating lack of staff led to nurses striking four times last year.

“We raise the issue through to our managers, we try and raise it with the Ministry of Health and so far, nothing has changed,” she said.

“This new government has promised to introduce the ratio system, which they termed ‘safe staffing’ but that hasn’t happened yet.”

Ms Koval said the planned ratios are one nurse to three patients in ED, with a dedicated resuscitation nurse, a dedicated triage nurse and a dedicated team leader on all shifts.

“That would make a massive difference to Grafton and Maclean Hospitals, particularly on our night shifts when our staffing drops from seven nurses to three nurses, and more often than not these days the ED is full of patients,” she said.

As Queensland Health have implemented nurse to patient ratios, where nurses experience better conditions and earn $10 an hour more than in NSW, Ms Koval said a number of local nurses have left to work over the border.

As a result, the Northern NSW Local Health District has confirmed there are 180 full time equivalent nursing vacancies across the region.

“Grafton and Maclean hospitals have approximately 40 of those vacancies,” Ms Koval said.

“That is just to make it back up to what the government currently considers as reasonable staffing levels…and when this new ‘safe staffing’ comes in as promised, that level of vacancies will increase.”

Ms Koval said staff shortages extend to the number of local doctors, as two surgeons have recently left Grafton hospital without being replaced and locums are regularly called in to fill positions in Grafton and Maclean hospitals.

“It’s a very large expense (for locums) but it’s what you have to do otherwise you don’t have medical coverage,” she said……

Read the full article here.

2011 Clarence By-Election Scorecard. Part 1 - Opening Salvos

Opening salvo from NSW Nationals candidate Chris Gulaptis in ABC News item on 17 October 2011:

"So we've got $9 million for the Grafton Base Hospital's orthopaedic ward, $1.2 million for Maclean Hospital as well, $4 million for the Grafton Bridge,"….

"So there's money coming into this electorate right now and it's important that we continue to serve the people this way and that's what I'm trying to do as the Nationals' candidate."

Opening salvo from NSW Country Labor candidate Peter Ellem in ABC News item on 17 October 2011:

"He's the man who in 2007 described WorkChoices as a positive move," ….

"The Nationals chose a candidate yesterday who will do the bidding of the Liberal Party which has taken control of the new Coalition Government, a Government which is no friend of working people."

Opening salvo from the NSW Greens candidate Janet Cavanaugh in a media release on 18 October 2011:

“It is time to clean up NSW politics,” she said. “The Greens have a history of maintaining ethical stands across a range of issues. By acting with integrity, The Greens offer a better way of doing politics and this will result in better outcomes for the electorate.
“One of the key issues we are worried about is the threat posed by mining to our precious water supplies. There is the risk posed by antimony mining on the Dorrigo Plateau to the Coffs-Clarence regional water supply and our estuarine fisheries, and the potential for coal seam gas exploration to drain and poison groundwater reserves as well as wreck important farming land and wildlife habitat.

Opening salvo of Independent Wade Walker in a The Daily Examiner article on 19th September:

He said he wanted to run as an independent because it would allow him to best represent the Clarence electorate without having to make concessions to an overall party policy - he said areas such as health, emergency services and the Pacific Highway upgrade would be among the key areas he would campaign on.

* Recent telephone polling by ReachTel suggests that a Christian Democratic Party candidate might eventually declare an intention to stand, but to date there is no name in the public arena.

Assessment:

1. Chris Gulaptis stumbles as he leaves the gate.

a) The bulk of this alleged $9 million for Grafton Base Hospital comes not from The Nationals or the O’Farrell Government, but from the Federal Labor Government as officially set out here in September 2011:

This Implementation Plan provides for the Commonwealth’s financial contribution of $6 million toward a $10 million upgrade of the Grafton Base Hospital. The New South Wales Government will contribute the remaining $4 million to this project.

Commonwealth funding is provided to New South Wales to establish a new four bed orthopaedic surgical ward and a new medical imaging unit at Grafton Base Hospital.
With the state's $4 million contribution being previously pledged by the former NSW Labor Government.

b) As for Maclean District Hospital, in March this year the hospital itself had a slightly different perspective:

The redevelopment is largely the result of a “very generous” bequeath that was left to the hospital, according to Dan Madden, executive officer of the Maclean hospital. Commonwealth funding has also come through over the last year for emergency departments Australia-wide, and the Maclean Hospital Auxiliary had also been effective and generous with its fundraising, he said.

c) Whilst the actual state funding set aside for a second Grafton Bridge appears intended to refine the preliminary route options for a second crossing point which initial NSW Roads & Traffic Authority had previously identified - so any new bridge is still far into the future:

Through studies, surveys and consultation, the RTA has been unravelling the tangled web of 41 crossing options suggested by the community during surveys conducted since December last year. Project manager Chris Clark said the 25 sites remaining from the original 41 would now undergo further engineering and environmental investigations to assess their feasibility.
d) When publicly called on his statements concerning hospital funding Chris Gulaptis defended himself by saying he was quoting his disgraced predecessor; Mr Gulaptis defended the figures he quoted, claiming they were in a press release Mr Cansdell sent out before his resignation on September 16.

2. Peter Ellem by keeping his observations to a minimum has fared better.

On the matter of opponent’s support for WorkChoices he is merely citing the facts as these 2007 Gulaptis quotes show:

a) The Nationals MP, Ian Causley, is retiring and the party's new candidate, Chris Gulaptis, says Work Choices is positive for the electorate.

b) He says any controversy over the WorkChoices IR laws is union-driven."IR isn't the dominant issue in the electorate, and if the Labor candidate was out and about, she'd certainly know that,"

c) When defending WorkChoices Chris Gulaptis said: "Northern Rivers residents moved to the region accepting they would be paid lower wages as part of the trade-off for living in one of the most desirable parts of Australia".   

 d) New figures confirming the North Coast is enjoying the fastest employment growth in Australia underline the local benefits of the Coalition’s economic management and workplace reforms, according to Page Nationals candidate Chris Gulaptis.

3. Janet Cavanaugh went where both major party candidates have thus far been too timid to travel and, is reflecting voter concerns which cross more than one demographic. Mining on the NSW North Coast is currently a topical issue.
If this election campaign progresses along similar lines to past elections then both major parties will cravenly let The Greens do the heavy lifting on environmental issues and rarely speak out publicly, while privately assuring voters that they are really 'green' at heart themselves.

4. Wade Walker was probably the first to publicly declare that he was definitely standing in the 19 November Clarence By-election.
However, apart from the initial statement, he does not appear to have managed to get anything else into the local mainstream media.

Elsewhere Walker has been more prolific and he can be found on Pauline Hansen's website on 26 September encouraging her to stand for Clarence;

please stand in the seat of clarence nsw by election the nats are on the nose.

One has to worry about the genuineness of the candidate's desire to contest this particular election

* Three of the four self-declared candidates went on to say something about crime rates and police numbers. However, Labor's Peter Ellem was first out the gate last week with a community petition for more police in Grafton, Casino and Yamba, thereby stealing a march on the the Nationals, Greens and Independent.

Scorecard

Gulaptis  -1

   Ellem        1.5

    Cavanaugh 1
       Wade Walker 0
             Bethany Camac 0

Update:

Bethany Camac was identified today as the Christian Democratic Party candidate. Bethany stood at the March 2011 NSW state election. She is yet to make any by-election campaign statement which has been picked up by the media, so comes in with an equal zero rating with Wade Walker.