All paediatric surgery at Modbury Hospital and Lyell McEwin Hospital will be stopped this week, surgeons have advised the State Liberals.
This means children from families in the north-eastern suburbs will have to travel to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) for any paediatric surgery. In some cases waiting lists at the WCH are already up to three years long.
The Weatherill Labor Government is not only closing the paediatric ward at Modbury Hospital but is also stopping all paediatric ENT (ear, nose, throat) surgery at Modbury from December 13 2013.
Surgeons have advised that this will mean children needing tonsils removed or tubes inserted into their ears will have to go elsewhere.
SA Health advised Modbury surgeons the Government’s plan was for these children to be operated on at the Lyell McEwin Hospital (LMH).
However, surgeons at the LMH have told SA Health they are not able to undertake paediatric surgery at the LMH as required by SA Health. This has been confirmed by both the Royal College of Surgeons (RCOS) and SASMOA and paediatric surgery has already stopped at LMH.
Surgeons have indicated the LMH does not have the required facilities and equipment for paediatric surgery and surgeons also do not have the required credentials and approvals from the RCOS to conduct paediatric surgery.
“This is clearly an unacceptable situation for families in the north-eastern suburbs and parents will be rightly be very angry at the Weatherill Labor Government,” said Shadow Health Minister Rob Lucas.
Premier Weatherill and Mr Snelling must now admit their policy is unsustainable and reverse their decision to close down the paediatric ward and associated paediatric services at Modbury Hospital.
“Steven Marshall and the State Liberals have already promised they will reverse this ridiculous Weatherill Labor Government decision.
“South Australians deserve a better Government with the right priorities to get our State back on track.”