Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch ramped up calls for the State Government to confirm funding for a palliative care unit at Wyong Hospital, as the Gosford unit celebrated its third birthday on April 19.
The unit was opened at Gosford Hospital in 2021 by then Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Crouch and members of the Elsie’s Retreat team.
More than 1,200 individuals have used the facility since it opened.
“In the past three years since opening, on average, the unit has provided treatment and support to approximately 400 patients per year which equates to about 1,200 patients over the past three years,” Crouch said.
“In addition to providing that, we have also seen thousands of family members receive the care and support that is provided by the incredible staff every day in this unit.
“I can say from first-hand experience with the loss of my wife Jill, that our palliative care doctors and nurses in A5 are the best anywhere when it comes to providing best practice palliative care support for our families.”
Crouch said what was most important was that the unit provided the community with choice.
“While 75 per cent of people would prefer to pass away at home, it is not always possible for either the patient or the family and the unit provides that necessary support when homecare isn’t available,” he said.
“I am so incredibly proud to have been part of the Liberal-National government that delivered the funding for both the infrastructure, but more importantly, the funding for highly trained palliative care doctors and nurses based in the Gosford unit.
“It was the unwavering support from our community, the Elsie’s Retreat Project team, then Health Minister Brad Hazzard and the Central Coast Local Health District staff that helped deliver this state-of-the-art unit for our community.”
With almost 40 per cent of patients in the Gosford unit coming from the northern part of the region, Crouch reaffirmed the importance of delivering a palliative care unit at Wyong Hospital.
“Alongside the then Minister for Regional Heath Bronnie Taylor, I was proud to announce the $13.6M necessary to deliver a new dedicated palliative care unit at Wyong Hospital which was part of the former government’s Enhancing End of Life Care program,” he said.
“While the former government has provided the necessary funding for the infrastructure, it is absolutely essential that the Minns Labor Government provide all the necessary recurrent funding for this unit to be fully staffed with the highest level of palliative care specialists just like the unit at Gosford Hospital.
“My concerns are that given the recent confirmation of the $250M cut to palliative care across the state it could make it very difficult for the Local Health District to fund and recruit staff for the Wyong Palliative Care Unit.
“These concerns are shared (by) organisations such as the Elsie’s Retreat team and our wider community given that as of yet this funding has not been confirmed.”
Crouch said that he would continue to keep the pressure on the State Government and Central Coast Labor MPs to ensure funding is on the table for both Gosford and Wyong palliative care units.
“At the end of the day, when many of us are no longer here, these units will continue to operate and provide support to so many in our community – and that is exactly why it is incredibly important funding is always on the table for palliative care,” he said.