Part of the electioneering from the State election this year was a clear promise to plan, build and deliver a public hospital in Forster Tuncurry in this term of government.
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This promise was made publicly in print, on Facebook and in speeches by our current sitting member, Stephen Bromhead. There was no qualifications to the statement, it was very clear and straightforward.
Contrary to Mr Bromhead's public statements, Hunter New England Health has clearly stated that any planning is "for a future, potential hospital".
The office of the NSW Health Minister has clearly stated that "no commitment was made to build a hospital in Forster".
The NSW state budget stated that an allocation of funds (no amount specified) had been set aside for planning of health facilities in Forster Tuncurry area.
An external firm has been engaged to undertake a Clinical Services Plan for the Manning Great Lakes area. Good planning on behalf of our State government considering the current plan expired in 2017. The results of this plan will dictate the direction and funding of our local health services moving forward.
Apart from Mr Bromhead's supposedly reassuring public statements regarding the construction of a public hospital in Forster, you are now compromising the idea by stating it may end up being the incorporation of an emergency department at Forster Private Hospital. That is a suggestion which I made as a possible method of providing services to the area. That is not a public hospital!
It would be very easy for Mr Bromhead to prove the truth of his statements and reassure the people of this area.
Provide a copy of the directions given to the firm that detail the need for them to include the planning, build and delivery of a Forster Public Hospital in the new clinical services plan. We don't need to see the whole document, just the parts relating to the Forster Public Hospital. The information is not secret, nor commercially sensitive and would immediately clarify for all of us the truth, or lack of, in your public promises. Again provide a copy, not your interpretation or your words as they aren't measuring up to the statements made by HNEH or your minister.
Over to you Stephen Bromhead, an easy way for you to prove that the criticism of you is wrong.
