THE campaign by the Australian Paramedics Association to have the trauma protocol of Nepean Hospital upgraded to major trauma took a step forward on October 31.
Greens MLC and health spokesperson Dawn Walker questioned NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard during a Supplementary Budget Estimates Hearing about the current policy of all major trauma cases in western Sydney having to be taken to Westmead Hospital, even if Nepean Hospital was closer.
Mr Hazzard said he would request that the situation be reviewed after a visit there the week before when the Nepean Medical Staff Council told him “they would like to see their facility returned to its former trauma status”.
He said that “at the moment the advice from the Ministry is that the current arrangements should continue, but I have told them that I would like that to be actively reviewed as the work proceeds”.
However when pushed by Ms Walker for a timeframe for the review he did not give one.
