Mr PETER BESSELING (Port Macquarie) [6.36 p.m.]: Many times in this Chamber fellow parliamentarians, speakers and those gathered in the public gallery have heard the plight of the Port Macquarie community in seeking the much-needed expansion of Port Macquarie Base Hospital. Indeed, for many in this Chamber, the town of Port Macquarie is now synonymous with the words "fourth pod". The pressures on the clinicians, nursing staff and administration at Port Macquarie Base Hospital have been well documented both within the Parliament and throughout the broader community, as has the inadequacy of the hospital infrastructure that was evident from the time of its very construction. The hospital has had a chequered political past. It was the subject of an experimental privatisation model which led to the reluctance by the State Government to actively engage in providing necessary public works and services for our rapidly expanding population. This in turn necessitated a costly public buy-back.

Among all the posturing, blame and recriminations, the one thing that was put at greatest risk was health service delivery to the general public provided through a base hospital that services not only Port Macquarie but areas such as Kempsey, South West Rocks, Comboyne, Wauchope, Lake Cathie, Bonny Hills, Laurieton and Kendall, to name but a few. That is why this week's Federal Government announcement, secured directly through the efforts of the Federal member for Lyne, Rob Oakeshott, to fund the construction of the fourth pod at Port Macquarie Base Hospital is so significant and a major milestone in the health and welfare of the future of our community. It brings to an end the persistent letters, applications for funding, submissions to State and Federal government health Ministers and health department administrators, meetings with chiefs of staff, doctors, nurses, specialists and community advocates, and the focussed lobbying effort that predates the release of the hospital's master plan in 2006 that were all aimed at securing funding for this significant capital works project.

Of equal significance, is that this is the mere beginning of efforts to secure the services and infrastructure identified as forming part of the hospital expansion. I make particular reference to the cardiac catheter laboratory and further efforts to ensure that the processes and involvement of the New South Wales health system actively seek to support this project so it may proceed in the most direct and efficient manner. In May of this year, a compelling case for inclusion of a cardiac catheter laboratory at Port Macquarie was put to this Parliament. While not wishing to reiterate and pray upon each valid argument today, it is important to recognise that Port Macquarie remains the largest regional centre in New South Wales without a catheter laboratory. Compounding this situation are Bureau of Statistics figures that show that our electorate has the highest percentage of residents aged over 65—a situation that completely justifies the inclusion a catheter laboratory in the fourth pod capital works project.

The Port Macquarie community welcomes the recent State Government funding of $600,000 for planning that will allow the fourth pod project to proceed. I have been advised that the service procurement plan and the project definition plan are currently underway and due for completion by December this year. Given conservative estimates of two to three years for the construction of the fourth pod there remains a need to find an interim solution to pressures placed upon the hospital staff due to the shortage of immediately accessible bed space. This issue is not easily solved, and I encourage the North Coast Area Health Service administration to continue to work together with hospital clinicians to examine all possible opportunities to deal with this difficult situation.

These continuing discussions highlight that there remains challenges for the hospital in dealing with patient care in the short term, notwithstanding the great news that funding has been allocated for the hospital expansion. I urge the Government and the Department of Health to give serious consideration to the urgency in which this hospital expansion is required, and to request that every possible effort is made to ensure that the processes and regulatory obligations required to complete this project are free from bureaucratic impediments. Given the funding support from the Federal Government, New South Wales has an obligation to ensure that this commitment to the people of Port Macquarie is fully supported in every aspect of its delivery.
 

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