26 November 2008

Transitional Care Unit for Woy Woy Hospital

NSW Minister for Health, John Della Bosca today said a 20 bed transitional care unit had been established at Woy Woy Hospital to provide specialised health care services for the Peninsula and the Central Coast community.

Mr Della Bosca told State Parliament today that the Woy Woy Hospital would continue to provide quality health care services, despite scaremongering from the Liberal Member for Terrigal and his colleague Gosford Councillor Jeff Strickson.

"Woy Woy Hospital is not closing - in fact the Area Health Service has recently established a new 20 bed transitional care unit at the hospital providing important sub-acute rehabilitation services," Mr Della Bosca said.

"This new unit has been established to provide relevant care to patients following a hospital admission.

"It allows older patients to recover properly with personalised health care programs and one-on-one support," he said.

"Transitional care is exactly that - specialised care provided to people following an illness or injury in the transition from hospital to home or aged care facility.

"In addition to the unit, Woy Woy Hospital provides outpatients facilities and a hydrotherapy pool serving the needs of the people of the Woy Woy area.

"The care and support that out-patients are currently receiving at Woy Woy Hospital will remain," Mr Della Bosca said.

"Patients such as those with Multiple Sclerosis will continue to access community based occupational therapy, physiotherapy and hydrotherapy at Woy Woy Hospital," he said.

Mr Della Bosca said a recent community meeting about the Woy Woy Hospital hosted by the Liberal Member for Terrigal was misleading and a cheap political stunt.

"Both Mr Hartcher and Mr Strickson have been using the most vulnerable of our community to score a cheap political point," Mr Della Bosca said.

"The Area Health Service has been holding their own community information sessions to provide the community accurate information.

"I would encourage anyone who may have concerns about the new or existing services to contact the Area Health Service for the correct advice," he added.

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au