Mum of four Amanda Mills joins push to save the Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward

A mother of four is the latest parent to express frustration over the closure of the Children’s Ward, saying she is “angry” the region is not receiving the funding it so desperately needs.

A Gympie mother of four is the latest to stand alongside a line-up of residents who have all spoken out about the closure of the Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward.

Most of Amanda Mills’ children have at some point been admitted to the ward before it was closed, and MS Mills said she was “angry” and “frustrated” to discover it was no longer operating.

“We are not a small country town we have a right to have a Children’s Ward instead of putting parents in a horrible situation,” Ms Mills said.

Ms Mills is among a growing list of other residents who have made their voices heard, including well-known blogger Jody Allen who has 536,000 followers, along with two mothers Anna Tennant and Jazzy Patfield.

Ms Mills said she believed the closure was due to a lack of funding, pointing out that the Gympie Hospital now comes under the umbrella of the Sunshine Coast.

“We are not the Sunshine Coast and we have been left with inadequate funding,” she said.

“The government need to pull their heads in.”

Amanda Mills.

With a closed Children’s Ward, parents have either been forced to sleep in the emergency section or make the 60-minute trip to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

Ms Mills said single parents or parents who could not get time off work would particularly struggle with their child being transferred an hour away from home.

“They might have other children and not have family to watch their other children,” she said.

“Not all parents can get time off or have support to be with their children if they are taken to other hospitals in other locations depending on situations.

“What if it’s a parent without a car? How are they meant to get their loved ones home from the Sunshine Coast hospital?

“Not only that, it’s also an added cost to those parents and it’s distressing enough when you have a sick child.”

Gympie Hospital.

Ms Mills said SCUH should only be used in “life threatening situations”, instead of minor health issues such as infections and asthma.

“I’m angry that we come under the Sunshine Coast for our funding, this is not right,” she said.

“I’m frustrated that parents have to try and sleep in an emergency ward on a chair while waiting for a transfer to another hospital, when you’re sitting there for hours at a time.

“We have a right to get some sleep and be comfortable too. Honestly, it’s disgraceful.”

The petition demanding the Children’s Ward reopen will be tabled in Queensland Parliament in late August or early September of 2021.

In the meantime, the petition is available for those who believe a Children’s Ward is vital for the Gympie region and can be accessed HERE.

Do you think the Children’s Ward needs saving? Send your letters to [e-mail]

Originally published as Mum of four Amanda Mills joins push to save the Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward