Wee Waa Hospital beset by leadership instability, operational failings, review finds
Wee Waa Hospital has been operating under reduced hours since 2023 due to staffing shortages.
The public hospital, operated by the Hunter New England Health (HNEH), is open from 8am until 5:30pm, forcing locals to travel 40 kilometres to Narrabri to seek after-hours medical treatment.
Following intense lobbying from the community and Barwon MP Roy Butler, state Health Minister Ryan Park announced in February that a review would be undertaken.
Four independent health experts released their findings on Friday and noted "serious leadership instability" within the hospital that had led to a "deterioration of workplace culture".
The review made 20 recommendations, including moving to a single-service model that covered the Wee Waa and Narrabri health campuses to improve leadership and recruitment.
It also recommended reinstating a palliative care bed in the hospital and updating the emergency department to an urgent care model.
The report described the urgent care model as a "nurse-led model that ensures expert triage, assessment while maintaining flexibility and accessibility for patients."
Mr Butler said the findings vindicated the feelings residents had about the health service.
"The community has some long-held concerns about culture and around staffing within the hospital and services available out of Wee Waa," he said.
Mr Butler highlighted the recommendation to update the ED to an urgent care model as a "crucial decision".
"An urgent care model is easier to staff and it will remove confusion about what services are available in Wee Waa," he said.
Narrabri Mayor Darell Tiemans welcomed the review with cautious optimism.
"It's a step in the right direction," he said.
"We absolutely welcome the fact that there is recommendations … but it's still the only hospital in Australia that closes at 5:30pm."
Cr Tiemans hoped the report would lead to positive change for the community of 3,000 people.
"This report has identified that the community really does need a hospital here," he said.
Mr Butler said he would work with the state government to ensure change occurred as quickly as possible.
"The next stage is the implementation plan, where the rubber hits the road and we actually see action," he said.
A time-frame for the implementation of the recommendations is yet to be finalised.
Hunter New England Health chief executive Tracey McCosker also welcomed the review.
"This review provides us with a valuable opportunity to strengthen how care is delivered in Wee Waa, now and into the future," she said in a statement.
"Our immediate focus is on recruitment and we'll be launching a new campaign shortly.
"At the same time, we're beginning planning and community consultation to progress the broader recommendations."
Mr Park said he recognised the need for change.
"While there is more work to be done, I know we're on the right track," he said in a statement.
"I look forward to seeing Hunter New England Local Health District work closely with the Wee Waa community as they develop and implement their response to the recommendations."
Narrabri councillor Ethan Towns was born at the hospital in Wee Waa and said the last few years had been a "nightmare" for the town.
"It's been a level of stagnation — it's been terrible," he said.
"We have been left for so long without any knowledge if anything is going to change, the fence came in [around the hospital] and we thought it was going to close."
Cr Towns was involved in the "Save Wee Waa Hospital" petition, which received more than 10,000 signatures.
Mr Tiemans praised the community for helping to ensure the review took place.
"This community has been amazing … I'm immensely proud," he said.
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