State health minister John Della Bosca should be sacked and barred from visiting Dubbo.
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That’s the view of long-suffering Linda McCarthy who has spent years campaigning for the re-opening of the Lourdes Hospital hydrotherapy pool.
Ms McCarthy was outraged when the minister joked about the plight of Lourdes Hospital in State Parliament on Thursday.
After Nationals MLC Duncan Gay tried to get answers about the future of health care services in the central west, Mr Della Bosca appeared to confuse Lourdes Hospital with the Lord’s Cricket Ground.
“The member (Mr Gay) continues to interject and, I’m not sure, now he’s talking about cricket in England,’’ Mr Della Bosca said.
Ms McCarthy isn’t amused by the minister’s flippant reply.
“The comment was absolutely disgraceful,’’ she said.
More than 150 people a day used the Lourdes heated pool before it closed in December 2005. Since that time vulnerable disabled, frail aged and injured people have lost co-ordination, balance and muscle tone.
Many like Mrs McCarthy have wasted away and become housebound.
They expected some answers when minister Della Bosca toured Lourdes during a visit to Dubbo last weekend.
“He saw the condition of the hospital and the hole in the ground that used to be the hydrotherapy pool. Any decent person would realise Lourdes is in a desperate situation,’’ Ms McCarthy said.
“The Government promised $18.6 million for urgent redevelopment but has continually delayed signing off on the promised agreement.’’
Ms McCarthy fears Lourdes won’t get any money at all.
“The Government obviously wants to get rid of Lourdes Hospital and Catholic Healthcare,’’ she said.
“If Lourdes closes and services are moved to Dubbo Base Hospital the Government will then be able to have full control. Mr Della Bosca has wronged the people of Dubbo and even if he apologised it wouldn’t be accepted.”
Mr Della Bosca’s staff yesterday expressed surprise the people of Dubbo were upset by the comment.
A spokesman said Mr Della Bosca remained committed to finding “a practical, sustainable solution to health services in Dubbo”.
Lourdes Hospital advisory committee chair, Reg Ferguson, said he was sure Mr Della Bosca wished he hadn’t said what he did.
“The comment probably slipped out during fiery Parliamentary debate,’’ Mr Ferguson said.
Dubbo MP Dawn Fardell said she had more important things to do than getting bogged down over an interjection made in Parliament.
“My focus is on getting better health services for Dubbo,’’ she said.
In a letter to the editor, Mr Della Bosca said he had “utmost respect” for all staff at Dubbo Base Hospital and Lourdes Hospital.
“The Nationals are cynically using ... Lourdes for short-term political gain.”
heather.crosby@ruralpress.com