Batlow MPS emergency department

The community has been reassured that overnight emergency department services at Batlow MPS will be restored as soon as possible and that the Murrumbidgee Local Health District has agreed to consider reimbursements of costs for people who call an ambulance from home and are taken to Tumut because the Batlow emergency department is not available.

Concerns had been raised at the Batlow United Community Chamber meeting on 1 May, which was also attended by chief executive of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD), Ms Jill Ludford, and senior MLHD staff.

As a result of the discussions at this meeting, Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, wrote to Minister for Regional Health, Bronnie Taylor, expressing the community’s concern about the temporary closure and asking for “absolute transparency” about the plan to return to a previous level of service at the facility.

Mrs Taylor has responded to Dr McGirr’s letter, saying the “short-term changes at the Batlow MPS were made to support the wellbeing of existing staff, while allowing for new staff to be trained, upskilled and supported”.

The minister’s letter explained that staff at Batlow MPS have started working 12-hour shifts and that new agency nurses are due to start at the facility.

Additionally, the facility is supporting a new graduate nurse as part of a transition to practice program.

In her letter, Mrs Taylor said she had been advised that the MLHD had established a critical vacancy taskforce to work on short and medium-term solutions to boost workforce capacity, including includes upskilling of registered nurses with essential skills in emergency nursing through onsite training and experience working in other close-by hospitals.

Dr McGirr has welcomed an assurance that the MLHD is continuing to make every effort to recruit and deploy additional staff has needed.

“Residents have been very concerned about the temporary overnight closure of the emergency department at Batlow,” he said.

“They have raised a number of issues, from the arrival of winter temperatures to the impact on season workers, who are unfamiliar with many of the local roads, and unreliable mobile phone coverage.

“Understandably, residents were also concerned about the likely increase in workload that would fall on NSW Ambulance staff, who would have to transfer patients to Tumut Hospital.

“It is good to see that the MLHD will consider reimbursing the ambulance costs of those who are taken to Tumut hospital when the Batlow emergency department is not available.

“It is vital that the Batlow emergency department is reopened as soon as possible. The community expects nothing less.”