Protests as Mona Vale Hospital patients go to Northern Beaches Hospital
AS PATIENTS from Mona Vale Hospital were transferred to Northern Beaches Hospital, protesters lined the main road vowing to “never give up” fighting for an Emergency Department.
Manly
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PREMATURE baby Florence Smith was one of the first patients from Mona Vale Hospital to be transferred to the new hospital at Frenchs Forest, as protesters held a silent vigil on the main road.
The 12-week old was born at 36 weeks weighing 2.2 kilos and has been in and out of hospital since then.
Now weighing 4 kilos, it was her third admission in three weeks due to a lingering stomach infection.
Mum Tasman, of Bayview, said she was admitted on Monday because she wasn’t feeding.
“It’s good that the same staff will be transferring with us, so we don’t have to explain Florence’s story all over again,” she said.
She was one of four children that were transferred from Mona Vale to Northern Beaches Hospital in a military style operation.
In total 40 patients moved across.
Mona Vale Hospital’s Emergency Department has closed along with all its acute services such as intensive care, operating theatres, and maternity.
It now has a 24/7 urgent care centre in place to treat minor injuries and illnesses.
A group of protesters from the Save Mona Vale Hospital group were conducting a silent vigil outside the hospital and on the main road as the transfers were taking place.
They want to reinstate an emergency service at the hospital because they are concerned at the length of time it will take residents in the north of the peninsula to get to Frenchs Forest.
Chelsea Baker, 54, of Avalon, was the first baby to be born at Mona Vale Hospital on June 8, 1964.
“Five generations of my family have been treated at this hospital,” she said.
“I’m scared something terrible will happen because of the tyranny of distance and length of time it will take to get to the new hospital.”
Parry Thomas, of Save Mona Vale Hospital, said that just because Northern Beaches Hospital has opened they would not be giving up.
“This is not going to go away,” he warned.
“The anger is building.”
On Tuesday around 65 patients from Manly Hospital were transferred and later that day the hospital closed forever. It is yet to be decided what will happen to the site.