Hospital services prepare to transition to new Tweed Valley Hospital

By Jeff Gibbs

Healthcare professionals are in the fnal stages of organizing the transfer of patients and services from Tweed Hospital to the newly constructed Tweed Valley Hospital in Cudgen, which boasts state-of-the-art facilities and represents an investment of $723.3 million. Scheduled to commence operations on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, this transition signifes the culmination of meticulous logistical planning spanning over 12 months, with the overall project unfolding over a period exceeding six years.

Lynne Weir, Director of Clinical Operations for the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD), emphasized the signifcance of this milestone, acknowledging the collaborative effort and expertise that has facilitated this achievement. She expressed confdence in the future of healthcare delivery within the region, underlining the commitment to maintaining the exceptional standards of care synonymous with the district.

Residents of Tweed Valley are advised that the existing Tweed Hospital on Powell Street, Tweed Heads, will cease operations at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 14. At the same time, all hospital services, including the emergency department, will transition to the new Tweed Valley Hospital located at 771 Cudgen Road, Cudgen. The relocation process for patients currently receiving care at Tweed Hospital is anticipated to span the entirety of the day.

To ensure the safety and welfare of patients throughout the transfer process, the NNSWLHD is collaborating closely with hospital clinicians, staff, as well as key stakeholders such as NSW Ambulance and NSW Police. Temporary visitor restrictions will be enforced at both Tweed Hospital and Tweed Valley Hospital on May 14, 2024, to prioritize patient safety and wellbeing during the relocation of inpatient services.

Additionally, Community Health services currently operational at Tweed Hospital will be temporarily suspended from May 14 through May 16 to facilitate a seamless transition to the new hospital in Cudgen. Normal service operations are set to resume on May 17.

For residents requiring urgent medical attention after 8:00 a.m. on May 14, alternative emergency care facilities include Murwillumbah

District Hospital, Byron Central Hospital, and the emergency department at Tweed Valley Hospital in Cudgen.

Non-emergency medical issues are advised to be addressed by visiting a general practitioner or medical clinic.

Patients with scheduled outpatient appointments should refer to their booking letters for information regarding the relocation of clinics to Tweed Valley Hospital. Individuals are encouraged to reach out to their respective care teams for any inquiries.

Effective May 14, the contact number for Tweed Valley Hospital will be 02 6677 2000. Detailed information regarding the location and contact particulars for various services at the new hospital will be accessible via the Northern NSW Local Health District website. Despite the relocation of hospital services, a selection of communitybased health services will persist on the site of the former Tweed Hospital. The establishment of the Tweed Heads Community Health Centre (THCHC) will facilitate the continuation of services such as wound clinics, women’s health services, stomal therapy, Child and Family services, Needle and Syringe Program counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug counseling, and select antenatal services. These services will initially operate from the existing Community Health building, with the potential for expanded offerings in the future. Lastly, BreastScreen NSW services will continue at the current Powell Street location, with a temporary closure on May 14, followed by reopening on May 15. asset that’s approaching end of life has a plan, you know, they have a plan either to replace it or to or to repair it and this state government had no plans they’re only plan which we were led to believe was a plan was to take the Lawrence ferry.”

He said the lack of maintenance and the dredging issues had made the ferry service unreliable.

Cr Pickering said last year the ferry service was closed 250 times when low tide and silting combined to make crossing the river impossible.

He said this situation had been allowed to develop to discourage people from making ferry trips and paint a picture of declining usage.

Cr Pickering said the effect of this decision, going on the fgures TfNSW provided on ferry usage would be to put more cars on road, travelling 6000km a day.

“When we’ve got a state government that say that they’re focusing on, you know, climate change mitigation, saying they’re looking at reducing vehicle emissions,” he said.

“We’ve got a government that could have shown leadership, but they could have brought forward perhaps an electric or a hydrogen powered ferry, you know, something innovative.”

The Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, said the decision was a bitter disappointment, but he would still bring the petition with the signatures of thousands of Clarence residents to parliament on Wednesday night.

“I’m still going to speak on Wednesday night this week, because it’s, it’s vitally important to my community that I do that,” Mr Williamson said.

Mr Williamson said the issues with silting of the river were complicated, but he said the ferry had been able to deal with these issues.

“I understand the

Local Land Services

ferry had some kind of self-silting mechanism underneath, where every time it went past it pushed the silt away and every trip did a little bit to move the silt,” he said.

“Obviously for whatever reason, this stopped. And because of that the ferry became unreliable, because it was unreliable, patronage was down it makes perfect sense.”

Mr Williamson said was now up to the NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison, to

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“As far as I’m concerned I’ll be tabling the petition in Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.

“I’ll be speaking on behalf of the petition and on behalf of everyone in my electorate, who uses the ferry on Wednesday night, and I’ll be informing the house how important it is that the ferry remain and how this decision by this government will affect many people.” reverse her decision.

“She wrote to me on Friday night, saying that acting on advice from TfNSW she was making the diffcult decision to shut down the Ulmarra Ferry service,” Mr Williamson said.

“But she can’t hide behind the department. The Minister has made the call to close the ferry which will affect a lot of people in the Clarence electorate.”

He said the parliament would hear how the decision would affect local people.

Ms Zycki said the decommissioning of car ferries was not unusual.

“Many will remember ferries between Southgate and Brushgrove, at Harwood, MacleanAshby, Sportsmans Creek at Lawrence, Iluka, Goodwood Island, Seelands-Junction Hill and, way back, between Grafton and South Grafton,” Ms Zycki said.

“As road transport networks have improved, ferries at these locations have all gone out of service and people have adapted to the change.”

She in the case of the Ulmarra ferry, the opening of the second bridge at Grafton almost halved the number of vehicles using the ferry.

“When the new Balun Bindarray Bridge opened in Grafton in late 2019, patronage of the Ulmarra ferry immediately dropped by 46%” Ms Zycki said.

“It was anticipated that demand for the ferry would decline once the new bridge opened so it would largely replace the ferry service.

“The patronage hasn’t returned and the ferry – when river conditions allow it to operate – now carries on average about one vehicle per trip, costing taxpayers $22 for each vehicle journey.”

She said Transport for NSW was aware of the importance the community has placed on this ferry and will work with Clarence Valley Council and the community on suitable ways to commemorate its long service.

The North Coast region is facing many challenges, but it doesn’t mean you need to get stuck in the mud.

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Event details

Dates

• Primex Casino 17 May

• Wauchope 20 May

• Macksville 20 May

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• Lismore 22 May

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How to book

Reserve your place using the QR code below or visit bit.ly/northcoastroadshow

Catering will be provided.

For more information about any of the events please contact Kate Pearce on 0429 900 329

For more information and resources on wellbeing visit droughthub.nsw.gov.au/Wellbeing

Greens Block NSW Government Attempt to Weaken Jury Trial Safeguards

The Greens have successfully blocked an attempt by the Minns Labor Government to reduce key safeguards in jury laws that would have impacted the fundamental right to a fair trial in NSW. In October 2023, the government proposed cutting the minimum jury deliberation time from eight hours to four before allowing a majority verdict instead of a unanimous one. Thanks to amendments introduced by the Greens, this crucial safeguard will be preserved.

Greens MP and justice spokesperson Sue Higginson highlighted the role of the NSW Upper House in checking government excess and safeguarding fair trial standards. “Last night, we halted a dangerous erosion of civil liberties—an attempt by the NSW Labor to weaken a cornerstone of justice that has stood in common law for six centuries,” Higginson said.

She criticized the government’s lack of evidence or stakeholder support for the changes, noting strong opposition from civil society and legal expert groups, including the Law Society, Bar Association, and the Aboriginal Legal Service. The Upper House’s action has protected the state’s commitment to justice, fair trial, and due process, she added.