Shoalhaven Cancer Care Clinic refute funding cut claims despite council vote

A NSW south coast cancer care clinic has firmly rejected claims their funding was ever cut, after a local council took a bizarre vote demanding the non-existent “cutbacks” be reversed.

Shoalhaven Cancer Care Clinic, located in Nowra.

A NSW south coast cancer clinic has denied its funding has been cut, stating claims to the contrary were “categorically incorrect” as a local council bizarrely voted for non-existent “cutbacks” to be reversed.

Shoalhaven Council representatives unanimously supported a motion to advocate for the Shoalhaven Cancer Care Clinic’s funding to be restored after it was supposedly cut.

The council ultimately resolved to ask South Coast MP Liza Butler and Kiama MP Gareth Ward to appeal to NSW Health Minister Ryan Park for concurrent funding for the regional clinic following so-called “cutbacks”.

But the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District’s clinical operations executive director Margaret Martin said there had been “no reduction in the Shoalhaven Cancer service’s budget”.

“The Shoalhaven Cancer service budget was increased to $9.06 milion in the 2023-24 financial year compared to $8.7 million in 2022-23,” she said.

“Demand for cancer services across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven Local Health District is growing and we continue to work closely with our clinical leadership team to continue to meet this demand.”

Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District Executive Director of Clinical Operations, Margaret Martin, refuted the funding cut claims.

Councillor Greg Watson’s motion had stated “Staff at the Shoalhaven Cancer Care Centre have expressed concern about cutbacks to their operational funding, particularly in respect of the availability of Cancer Specialists”.

Mr Watson told The South Coast News he believed there were indeed funding cutbacks.

“I was approached by staff who were concerned and told me there were cutbacks and it was making their positions harder,” he said.

Mr Watson did not name the staff members, nor how much they claimed funding was cut by.

“Of course, administration won’t admit there were cutbacks, because it would upset their bosses at the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District,” he said.

Councillor Greg Watson put the motion forward to Shoalhaven Council.

Despite the Shoalhaven Cancer Care Clinic refuting the funding cutback claims, Kiama MP Mr Ward said he would speak with the Health Minister regarding increasing the clinic’s funding.

“Having lost a grandfather and uncle to cancer and having had my mother diagnosed with breast cancer three times and my father living with blood cancer, I will always fight for the resources our region needs when it comes to healthcare,” he said.

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