Shoalhaven District Hospital will no longer provide patients with shampoo, toothpaste or toothbrushes, with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District saying the cost was"significant" and "unneccessary".
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The claims come from a leaked Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District memo from Shoalhaven Hospital Group general manager Craig Hamer.
The memo said a review of hospital's procurement of toiletry items, such as toothpaste or toothbrushes and shampoo was "a significant and unnecessary cost".
Staff were told in the memo, effective October 1, such items were not to be ordered from "OfficeMax, Onelink or by other means".
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"Patients should be advised that they are required to bring their own toiletries, have someone bring them in for them or they can be purchased from the ED vending machine or cafeteria," the memo said.
"In the event of necessity, a small supply will be kept with Patient Flow for patients who have no way of obtaining toiletries," it continued.
The purchasing of toothpaste, toothbrushes and shampoo is a significant and unnecessary cost.
- Shoalhaven Hospital Group general manager Craig Hamer
Monthly reports will also be generated to ensure products are not being purchased.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) said the leaked document was a further example of how desperate the NSW Health system had become.
The association claims $150 million worth of cuts to the state's Local Health Districts will just put more pressure on current staff and compromise patient care - cuts NSW Health denies.
"Just how desperate are we?," NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes asked.
"Toothbrushes, toothpaste and shampoo might sound like very minor things but to patients, they aren't.
"There has got to be some level of compassion and practicality.
Just how desperate are we? Toothbrushes, toothpaste and shampoo might sound like very minor things but to patients, they aren't. There has got to be some level of compassion and practicality.
- NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) general secretary, Brett Holmes
"Will that now also fall to the nurses to provide help?
"Surely mouthcare is a basic right - toothbrushes and toothpaste is certainly a good start.
"There is nothing worse than being in hospital with a dry mouth and not having the ability to clean your teeth.
"Is the expectation that nurses will go and pay for it out of their own pocket?
"How desperate is our health system?"
Mr Holmes questioned how a critically ill patient, who has no family support, would cope.
"What are they going to have to ask the ambulance paramedics to stop so they can get their toothbrush or wallet?"
Mr Holmes said documents leaked to the Opposition reveal the Ministry of Health (NSW Health) must achieve total cost savings of $252 million during 2019-20, in order to deliver on the Berejiklian Government's election commitments and had ordered local health districts to cut costs.
We have seen an ever-growing demand on the health system. The government continues to emphasise the growth in the budget but unfortunately, the budget is not keeping pace with demand.
- NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) general secretary, Brett Holmes
"We're already feeling that, with current staffing vacancies going unfilled, as well as cuts to frontline staff," he said.
"Many hospitals are already in dire situations.
"We have seen an ever-growing demand on the health system. The government continues to emphasise the growth in the budget but unfortunately, the budget is not keeping pace with demand.
"They [NSW Health] admits an increase in admission and presentations and we are coming off one of the busiest and longest flu seasons ever but they still proceed to make cuts."
NSW Health denies there is an issue, saying there were "no budget cuts", the health budget "was a record $24 billion" there was "no reductions in frontline staff" with health districts encouraged to "to drive efficiencies in back office functions".
The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District was contacted for comment.