Health officials deny Gympie Hospital children’s ward closure

Questions put directly to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath on the subject have gone unanswered, while Gympie MP Tony Perrett has claimed the Minister ignored a letter from himself and Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien.

The Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service has denied a closure at the Gympie Hospital children’s ward, but questions put to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath have gone unanswered.

The Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service has denied a closure at the Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward, despite a petition to save it closing with about 8000 total signatures this week.

Gympie MP Tony Perrett said on Thursday (August 26) there were some 3276 signatures to keep the local Children’s War open in a now expired online Parliamentary petition, as well as 1500 in paper petitions collected in the region and about 3300 through a change.org petition.

Gympie mothers slam hospital Children’s Ward closure as an ‘absolute disgrace’

Young Gympie mother Lisa Mordey said she was gobsmacked to learn of Gympie Hospital’s complete lack of paediatric services this week when her daughter Harper was struck down with illnesses including bronchiolitis, calling it an “absolute disgrace”.

But a spokesperson for the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service said on Friday (August 27) there were “no plans” to close the hospital’s paediatric ward.

“Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service is committed to expanding the scope and types of paediatric patients to be managed as inpatients at Gympie Hospital,” the spokesperson said.

“There are no plans to close the paediatric ward at Gympie Hospital. The ward remains open and has a nurse unit manager and nursing staff.

“Children requiring specialist paediatric care are transferred to Sunshine Coast University Hospital.”

Questions put directly to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath on the subject went unanswered.

Mr Perrett said he had this week written another letter on the issue to Ms D’Ath, and claimed the Minister had not responded to previous correspondence from himself and Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien in early July.

“The paediatric ward, including staffing issues, need to be addressed now,” Mr Perrett said.

“The Health Minister has been ignoring this issue.

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“The Minister has not even replied to the correspondence I and the member for Wide Bay, Llew O’Brien, sent six weeks ago.

“I’ve again written again this week. It’s not good enough. This has been going on for the whole year.”