Doctors and nurses claim Fairfield Hospital operating in ‘time warp’

It is Sydney’s “forgotten” hospital — the victim of being located in a long-held safe Labor seat and ignored by the Coalition government. Now independent candidate Dai Le has Fairfield Hospital in her sights after complaints by doctors and nurses.

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An old portable airconditioning unit resembling a Dr Who ‘dalek’ sits in the diabetic ward of Fairfield Hospital.

Last used in the antenatal ward, the temporary cooling system has been vital to keep temperatures down throughout summer with the existing airconditioning units broken or malfunctioning.

Senior nurses and doctors told The Sunday Telegraph the hospital is operating in a time warp, having reached its electrical capacity.

There is also no Wi-Fi, nor electronic medical records system.

Dai Le, who is running as an independent in the seat of Cabramatta. Picture: Supplied.

The portable airconditioner being used in Fairfield Hospital’s diabetic ward Picture: Supplied

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Visiting the hospital this week, Dai Le, who is the independent candidate for Cabramatta, said the hospital had become victim of its geography.

Located in a long-held safe Labor seat, Ms Le claimed it had been taken for granted by the former Labor government while ignored by the Coalition, which had never held the seat.

Dai Le's top priorities for the seat of Cabramatta.

The ex-Liberal — Ms Le was dumped from the party three years ago for running against an endorsed candidate — said it would take around $20 million to upgrade the hospital.

With the region a hot spot for migrants, Ms Le said the government needed to invest in local infrastructure to meet the demands.

“It is the forgotten hospital,” Ms Le said.

“No money to fix broken airconditioning, no electrical capacity, no Wi-Fi — both parties have done very little to support resources at this hospital, yet this area has one of the highest rates for refugee resettlement.

“This area supports refugee resettlement, but the political parties need to provide the community with enough resources to cope with the additional influx of people.”

Ms Le is taking on long-serving Labor MP Nick Lalich in the seat, which he holds with a 17.2 per cent margin, and Liberal candidate Austin Le.

The seat has been held by Labor since 2008 when it came close to losing it to Ms Le at a by-election.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the budget for southwestern Sydney health services had risen from $1.4 to $1.9 billion in four years, with funding for Fairfield Hospital increasing accordingly.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the funding for the southwestern Sydney health services had increased to $. 19b in four years. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu

While funding for the local area health services had increased significantly to $1.9 billion over the past four years, Mr Hazzard said he would personally address the issues raised at Fairfield Hospital.

Meanwhile, a medical and research centre catering to the needs of the LGBTIQ community will be set up in Sydney’s inner west under a funding deal struck with the Coalition.

Mr Hazzard last week agreed to pursue the proposal for a dedicated centre following several meetings with healthcare advocates ACON.

Established in 1985 as the AIDS Council of New South Wales, ACON had been lobbying for a facility that would allow members of the community to obtain healthcare without fear of being judged.

In a letter to ACON, Mr Hazzard said the health department would provide a grant of up to $500,000 for a feasibility study for the centre, with further investments of up to $3 million to be considered.