Ryan Park accused of lying about $150 million in palliative care cuts

A woman whose husband died in hospital in May has called on the government to reverse palliative care cuts. Watch the video here.

Health Minister Ryan Park has refused to apologise to terminally ill patients for ripping $150 million out of palliative care funding – as a woman whose husband died in May called for the government to reverse the “heartbreaking” cuts.

Lily Gubbay told The Daily Telegraph that while her husband Donald was receiving end of life care at Westmead Hospital in May, he was waiting “up to two hours” to get help from staff.

She said she tried to get him into a dedicated palliative care ward – which provides patients a more comfortable stay at the end of their life – but was unsuccessful.

“Donald even said himself, I just want peace. And we didn’t get that,” Ms Gubbay told the Telegraph.

“Towards the end, it was quite heartbreaking. Because to see the care that he was getting, it wasn’t enough,” she said.

Lily Gubbay was disappointed by the care her late husband received at hospital before he dies and is concerned by the government’s cuts to palliative care. Picture: Richard Dobson

“There should have been a lot more specialist care. We had to wait maybe up to two hours to get to get some help or even a nurse to come and see us,” she said.

Mr Park refused to acknowledge that the Minns government cut $150 million out of the palliative care budget, despite Premier Chris Minns repeatedly conceding the money had been reallocated.

The Telegraph has seen departmental letters indicating funding that Local Health Districts expected to receive in the coming years has been revised down; one major Local Health District appears to have around $20 million cut from funding in future years.

Pressed in a heated budget estimates hearing on Thursday, Mr Park would not outline where the cuts are coming from.

Donald Gubbay, who was 95, passed away in Westmead Hospital in May. Picture: supplied.

“Specific claims that palliative care services are being cut in Bulli, Western Sydney, Northern Sydney and Orange are all untrue,” he said. He said funding for palliative care was increasing year on year.

However, Mr Minns on Wednesday acknowledged that his government’s first budget cut $150 million from palliative care.

“The money needed to go to recruiting nurses,” he told a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday.

Health Minister Ryan Park refused to apologise for palliative care cuts. Photo by: NCA Newswire

Liberal Health spokesman Matt Kean accused Mr Park of lying to parliament about the funding cuts.

“Not only are they shamefully cutting these important services, the health minister is misleading the parliament about it. At least the premier is willing to own his government’s shameful decisions.”

“Mr Park should apologise to thousands of people that will now die in pain because of these cruel cuts to palliative care.”

Liberal Health spokesman Matt Kean accused Mr Park of “misleading parliament”. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Ms Gubbay called for the funding cuts to be reversed.

“The government should put all the funds that they can get into palliative care, especially at Westmead because it is a large health precinct.”

“This is not just for Donald and myself or our family. It’s for the future population that’s going to come through the same thing,” she said.

Lily Gubbay was disappointed by the care her late husband received at hospital before he dies and is concerned by the government's cuts to palliative care.

In a statement, a Western Sydney Local Health District spokeswoman offered “sincere condolences to Mr Gubbay’s family on his passing”.

“Though we do not comment on individual patient care, we are very sorry that we did not meet Mr Gubbay’s family’s expectations of care,” the statement said.

“All patients at the end of their life in our facilities are treated with dignity and follow an end-of-life pathway in consultation with our care experts.”

“Planning and development is currently underway for the new Supportive and Palliative Care Unit at Westmead Hospital which was announced in 2022.”