CGRC Mayor Abb McAlister with Labor Member Ryan Park. Local Member Steph helped organise a petition which made Parliament take notice alongside the plight of workers and the community.
Health Minister Ryan Park has announced the NSW Health Pathology laboratory will remain at the Cootamundra Health Service.
There were proposed plans to relocate the Cootamundra laboratory to Young which brought about protest across the Coota community and saw staff from Young support Coota. But following meetings with staff, the local community and the Health Services Union, the Health Minister reviewed pathology services in the area.
With the implementation of Point of Care Testing technology, the Cootamundra laboratory will be capable of undertaking more testing on location more quickly. Point of Care Testing technology is capable of providing pathology results within minutes, enabling doctors to diagnose patients faster and make critical treatment decisions without the need to send samples to a laboratory. These devices provide reliable, accurate test results and most tests will take between 5 to 15 minutes. Health service staff are being trained in the use of the new devices and the technology is already being used after-hours.
The collection service is located at Cootamundra Primary Health Centre in MacKay Street and is open 7.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park: “I thank staff, the Health Services Union, the local community and NSW Pathology for bringing this to my attention and working to resolve this matter.
“It means the community can access pathology services more quickly and closer to home.
“It provides staff and the community with certainty.”
Quotes attributable to Health Services Union Secretary Gerard Hayes: “I thank the Health Minister for meeting with the Health Services Union and our members at Young and Cootamundra Pathology to listen and act on their concerns with the proposal to relocate pathology services from Cootamundra to Young.
“This is a major win for the community of Cootamundra and surrounds.
“Regional New South Wales deserves access to quality and timely care, and thanks to this decision they will.”
Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke is thrilled to announce that Cootamundra Hospital’s Pathology Laboratory will remain open following a successful campaign to save the facility from its impending closure. Minister for Health and Regional Health, Ryan Park has confirmed that a previous decision to shut down the NSW Pathology service in Cootamundra and reallocate resources and staff to the Young Health Service has been axed.
Despite reversing this decision, Cootamundra Hospital will retain Point of Care Testing technology, which enable staff to undertake diagnosis testing on location more quickly.
The announcement coincides with Ms Cooke’s Rural Health Service petition meeting the requirement of 10,000 signatures for the matter to be debated in the NSW Parliament.
“This is truly a fantastic outcome for this growing community who need and deserve access to life-saving health services,” Ms Cooke said.
“After six months of advocacy, I want to thank the Minister for coming to the table and for reversing a decision which placed the health and wellbeing of Cootamundra’s residents at risk.”
More than 10,000 people have signed the Rural Health Service petition following inadequate community consultation relating to the Murrumbidgee Local Health District’s Draft Health Service Plan for Cootamundra Hospital.
The initiative, led by Ms Cooke, was strongly supported by members of the community and local organisations such as Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council.
Mayor, Cr Abb McAlister has thanked Ms Cooke for her advocacy, as well as Minister Park and CEO of NSW Health Pathology, Vanessa Janissen for putting the needs of the community at the forefront of their decision-making.
“We’re grateful that NSW Health Pathology and Ms Janissen took the time to come to Cootamundra and truly listen to the concerns of our community,” Mr McAlister said.
“The opening of the abattoir has seen Cootamundra only grow and because of that, certainty around our health services has never been more important.”
The Rural Health Services petition will be tabled in the NSW Parliament next week, as it also calls for the return of essential drugs and equipment to non-category A and B ambulance station and vehicles.
“While I’m thrilled that Cootamundra’s pathology lab has been saved, the fight to keep other important resources in our rural communities doesn’t stop,” Ms Cooke said.
“Thank you to everyone that made the tabling of this petition possible and proved just how powerful the voices of rural communities are.”
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