Save Bellingen Hospital - Again

This hospital is a massively important resource for our region. Any downgrade will have life-changing impacts. It needs to remain a functioning 24 hour emergency hospital.

The MNCLHD propose to close the ED for 14 hours each day - all ED presentations between those hours would be directed to go to Coffs Harbour Base Hospital (CHBH).

It also means there would be no Doctor present or on call at BRDH overnight. It is proposed to handle any deteriorating patients by phone contact with CHBH, and transfer them there as needed.

Any ambulance calls from Bellingen Shire residents would be transported to CHBH and not to BRDH. It was shown recently on a weekend where there was not a Dr on call at BRDH that ambulance transfers from BRDH to CHBH took up to 13 hours.

This would effectively reduce the BRDH to a sort of Multi-Purpose Service – though the MNCLHD maintains otherwise. It has been the experience of other hospitals where this has happened that the service capability of these hospitals has been markedly reduced, much to the detriment of the local community. 

Service reduction would affect ED after hours, inpatient Care and the ability of the local community to be admitted to BRDH in acute situations – as they are now able to do
The  community clearly and vocally opposed the MNCLHD Proposed Model.