Lismore MP Janelle Saffin pushes for independent investigation into Tenterfield Hospital

Serious ongoing issues, including a resident’s “harrowing near-death experience” in the emergency department, has shaken the community’s confidence in this Northern NSW hospital.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has serious concerns about the Tenterfield Hospital.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has urged NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard to commit to an independent investigation into Tenterfield Hospital, saying she continues to hear “horror stories”.

It comes after the council unanimously passed a motion at its meeting in June, also calling for an investigation.

Councillors and Ms Saffin want the “urgent” investigation to focus on the management at the hospital, and for interviews to take place with all staff who have resigned during the past three years.

Ms Saffin said it was time for ministerial intervention.

She wrote to Mr Hazzard last month and followed up with a phone call this week.
“He has agreed to speak with me on this matter; we’ve met before on the issue of Tenterfield Hospital so he knows where I’m coming from,” she said.

“The community (at Tenterfield) feels as if they have been forgotten and I think the whole situation needs a systemic review.”

Ms Saffin said she recently shared a written account of a local resident’s harrowing near-death experience at Tenterfield Hospital’s emergency department with Hunter-New England Local Health District chief, Michael DiRienzo.

“I indicated to Mr DiRienzo that I felt it was time for a more wide-ranging investigation into the hospital rather than one purely for the serious individual case I had put before him,” she wrote in her letter to Mr Hazzard, which her office provided to The Northern Star.

“We had a good and open talk and I did relay to him the continuous verbal complaints that I and community leaders and many others receive about management issues.

“Ultimately, these issues, if not resolved locally, need to be resolved at a higher level.

“I told him that I feel very close to publicly warning the community that they might consider not presenting to the hospital, which is something I would rather not be forced to do.

“Minister Hazzard, I have tried to work with Hunter-New England Health, community leaders and concerned citizens to encourage improvements at Tenterfield Hospital but the horror stories keep being reported to me.”

Mr Hazzard’s office was contacted for comment, but the inquiry was forwarded to the Hunter-New England Health District.

In response, the executive director of Rural and Regional Health Services, Susan Heyman, said there had only been 72 hours in the past 18 months (up to June 2021) where Tenterfield Hospital did not have on-site medical coverage.

“In the rare instance that a medical officer is not available on-site, medical support is available from Armidale, Tamworth and John Hunter hospitals via telehealth,” Ms Heyman said.

“Recruiting to rural and regional areas is a not only a challenge Australia-wide but world-wide, and NSW faces the same issues as other states and territories.

“In the 18 months to June 2021, nine nursing staff have left Tenterfield Hospital for various reasons, including three who retired and two who relocated to other towns for personal reasons.

“Tenterfield Hospital has successfully recruited two registered nurses, who commenced in January this year.

“A third nurse that was due to commence in mid-February withdrew her acceptance of offer of employment.

“Recruitment to an additional three nursing positions remains ongoing.”

Ms Heyman said Tenterfield Hospital management regularly met with nursing staff to “determine reasonable workloads”.