Council welcomes urgent consultation on pathology services

Published on 04 June 2024

Following significant community unrest, Narrabri Shire Council has welcomed the announcement from NSW Health Minister Ryan Park, of a pause on proposed changes to pathology services at Narrabri Hospital.

The minister has agreed to urgent consultation with clinicians, staff, and community, to provide a more detailed understanding of local clinical needs and help design a more sustainable service model for the community.

Mayor Darrell Tiemens is calling for an independent assessment of the proposal, saying the community has little faith in Hunter New England Health.

“On the face of it, a reduction in pathology services makes no sense, given Narrabri Hospital had a 40 percent increase in emergency department presentations in the past three months (the highest in the Hunter New England Health district),” Mayor Tiemens said.

“As Mayor, I will not support any review that Hunter New England District controls the outcome of, without an undertaking of the appropriate community consultation procedures. The community deserves a transparent process from independent experts, and we won’t put faith in any other process.”