Question marks hang over the future of the David Berry Hospital.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In recent years the hospital has been offering palliative care and rehabilitation services, but these departments are due to be incorporated into the redeveloped Shoalhaven Hospital.
State Member for Kiama, Gareth Ward, said while the previous government guaranteed it would not sell the hospital, Premier Chris Minns had refused to make any similar promise.
"Why won't this Premier give the same commitment?" Mr Ward asked.
"I've been contacted by staff who have been told that services are being wound up at Berry Hospital but the community haven't been consulted.
"Where is the consultation with the community and staff for whom David Berry Hospital has very personal significance?" he asked.
A letter from the Parliamentary Secretary for Health dated January 22, said, "It is anticipated that services including palliative care and rehabilitation will continue to be delivered from David Berry Hospital until at least the end of 2025, when the relocation to Shoalhaven Hospital will take place."
It said the community "will continue to receive safe and quality care from the dedicated team at David Berry Hospital for many months until services are relocated and expanded".
Mr Ward said the letter was "tantamount to a termination notice of this hospital", and called on Mr Minns to "personally intervene" to save the hospital and ensure it was not sold off.
"Is David Berry Hospital next on the list of government land set for sell-off by the Minns Labor Government?" Mr Ward said.
"I have had a gut full of NSW Labor cutting services to our community and sending the money to Sydney."
They included "cuts to planned upgrades at Bomaderry High School, its cuts to the rail-passing loop project on the South Coast Line, it's cuts to the Regional Seniors Travel Card and back-to-school vouchers and now its closure and possible sell-off of David Berry Hospital," Mr Ward said.
