Perrett in talks with SCHH about Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward

The Gympie MP plans to discuss investment in the Gympie Hospital and its services, after the hospital failed to get a mention in Qld Health’s record-breaking budget.

Gympie MP Tony Perrett is putting Queensland Health on notice that he and his electorate are not going to take the closure of the Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward laying down.

Mr Perrett has a meeting with the new Sunshine Coast Health and Hospital Service CEO next week, and will be raising the topic of investment in the Children’s Ward, after the Gympie Hospital failed to get even a mention in Qld Health’s record breaking $21 billion services budget.

“The health services should be getting better, not worse,” Mr Perrett said on Thursday.

“It’s important that as part of that record $21 billion spend in Queensland Health, that the Gympie Hospital gets its fair share and the upgrades it deserves.”

Gympie MP Tony Perrett is putting Queensland Health on notice that he and his electorate are not going to take the closure of the Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward laying down.

The Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward was shut down in May due, reportedly, to a lack of paediatricians, triggering public concerns and two petitions with more than 4000 signatures.

One petition also claimed the decision to close the ward was influenced by six-year-old Census information, which incorrectly portrayed the Gympie region as having a large aging population rather than a growing one.

“This is a growing region,” Mr Perrett said.

“We’ve seen significant growth in Gympie and its surrounds, and this hospital services tens of thousands of people in the surrounding districts and regions.”

Mr Perrett said there had been no updates on whether or not a paediatrician had or would be secured for Gympie Hospital.

A SCHHD spokesperson declined to comment on the paediatrician situation, and said children needing a paediatrician were transferred to SCUH.

“Gympie Hospital still has a designated paediatric ward which is fully staffed and has a designated nurse unit manager,” they said.

“This ward sits under women’s and children’s directorate and paediatricians from Sunshine Coast University Hospital work on the ward and also provide outpatient clinics.”

A petition to save the Children’s Ward has more than 1200 signatures and is sponsored by Mr Perrett. It will be tabled in Queensland Parliament in late August or early September.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION