Health minister Brad Hazzard has been urged to reconsider the decision to close down the After Hours GP Clinics at Campbelltown and Liverpool Hospitals.
The clinics are set to close on December 31 and January 28.
Campbelltown MP Greg Warren has written to the health minister today, urging him to act.
“This is an outrageous decision which will have severe impacts on our already strained emergency department, and one I am committed to fighting against,’’ Mr Warren said.
In his letter to Mr Hazzard, the local MP pointed out that if the closures go ahead, “local residents seeking medical attention outside of regular business hours will be left with little option but to present to the emergency department of Campbelltown Hospital, which is already stretched to breaking point’’.
“With one of the fastest growing populations anywhere in NSW, the government should be increasing health services, not removing them,’’ Mr Warren said in the letter.
The recently imminent closure of the After Hours GP Clinics at Campbelltown and Liverpool Hospitals was also greeted with dismay by Federal MPs Dr Mike Freeland (Macarthur ) and Anne Stanley (Werriwa).
These practices provide urgently needed services to many people including the elderly, young families and some of the most disadvantaged people in the Liverpool, Campbelltown and the greater South West, the MPs said.
The After Hours GP Clinics are a very efficient and cost-effective way of providing after hours care and there has been no community consultation or discussion about the reasons for the sudden closure, they said.
The community will lose a well utilised and vital resource.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]Dr Freelander said: “This is a very poor decision that will leave after hours care in Macarthur in a parlous state.[/social_quote]
“The people of Macarthur are being treated very disrespectfully by an out of touch health system and I ask that the decision be rescinded urgently.”
Ms Stanley said: “This is a terrible decision for young families and sick members of my community.
“It is difficult enough to access GP Services, but to close this service on New Year’s Eve when so many GP services are closed for the holidays is appalling.’’
