The public campaign backing Brett Thomson’s walkout from Milton Hospital over maternity unit and administration cutbacks is now driving a petition aiming for 4000 local signatures.
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The petition will go to whoever wins the Federal seat of Gilmore in the July 2 election.
“This issue will go beyond the election,” said Ulladulla resident Sunnee Ord.
Labor’s Rural and Regional Health spokesperson Stephen Jones has backed Dr Thomson’s refusal to provide further service to the hospital.
Video: Stephen Jones on Milton maternity cuts:
Mr Jones said “you can’t imagine the frustration [Dr Thomson] has been going to for him to throw his hands in the air and say enough’s enough”.
“It’s going to be a tragedy if doctors like Brett are lost to the hospital system.
“We need to get behind him and behind other health professionals to ensure we can continue to have decent health care services and the range of services that we need out of our local hospital.”
More than two weeks after Dr Thomson withdrew, he said Milton Hospital administration had not yet met with the remaining doctors.
“It’s going to be a tragedy if doctors like Brett [Thomson] are lost to the hospital system."
- Stephen Jones
Sarah Barker who started the Facebook campaign Save Our Maternity Facilities at Milton Hospital in support of Dr Thomson said the page had 7000 views in the first week.
She and Sunnee Ord circulated the petition at a doorstop election campaign rally that drew 50 people to the Ulladulla harbour foreshore, to hear Mr Jones and Gilmore’s Labor candidate Fiona Phillips.
Mr Jones and Ms Phillips accused the Federal Government of “mad economics” in planning to cut $57 billion from national health funding in the previous Abbott government budget.
“Axing of bulk billing would mean many people would put off their visit to the doctor but if a person cannot go to their GP because they can’t afford it and present instead to hospital emergency for the same problem, it will cost $400 at emergency as opposed to $40 at their GP,” Mr Jones said.
“That is just mad economics and we can’t let it happen.”
Ms Phillips attacked the planned cuts to Milton Hospital, kids’ dental care and bulk billing for blood tests.
Video: Fiona Phillips calls for more consultation:
“There definitely needs to be more consultation with the Illawarra Area Health Service and a recognition that regional hospitals like Milton [are] essential,” Mr Phillips said.
“We’ve got cases where people are being transferred by ambulance in lengthy situations when the births could be taking place at Milton.
“It’s great to see Brett Thomson speaking out about that and so many parents speak out about that.
“There are certainly some consultation issues there and [health authorities] need to be above board in their intentions and we need to make sure that our maternity services remain.”
Steve and Rhonda Czeref visiting from Sydney signed the petition in support of their daughter Brienne Maloney who gave birth to daughter Indigo eight months ago.
“We only just made it, she was born 25 minutes after I arrived at Milton, and we wouldn’t have made it to Shoalhaven hospital,” Brienne said.
She said the care and services at Milton were fantastic.