Unused wards at Campbelltown Hospital were tendered out to film studios by the NSW Liberals and Nationals, documents obtained by NSW Labor have revealed.
The proposed tender details said, “Campbelltown Hospital has vacant/unused wards that can be used for filming for TV/Ads/Movies and other similar such mediums.”
The revelations come at a time when the state’s hospital system under the Liberals and Nationals grapple with record hospital wait times.
The most recent BHI data revealed that between April and June this year only 42.2 per cent of critical emergency treatment started on time in Campbelltown Hospital.
Over the same period, 10 per cent waited over an hour and 19 minutes, just to be transferred from an ambulance to a bed in the hospital.
Ten per cent spent almost 14 hours in the emergency department.
And over 3,000 patients left the emergency ward without receiving treatment altogether – one in every seven people who turned up for medical help.
NSW Labor is calling on the Premier to provide an explanation about the tender while wards remain unused and patients in need of critical care are going untreated.
Chris Minns, NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns said:
“It says so much about this Premier and this Government that they are more interested in creating fictional treatments, than actually treating patients in need.
This is outrageous. This isn’t Grey‘s Anatomy, it’s a real hospital with sick people.
“Because of chronic mismanagement, these wards are being used as movie sets rather than delivering treatment.
“Dominic Perrottet should be focused on fixing the hospital not filming it.”
Ryan Park, NSW Shadow Minister for Health said:
“The people of Campbelltown and south west Sydney have every right to be frustrated and angry at a Government more interested in stunts than delivering the health services residents need and deserve.
“Shiny new wards without appropriate staffing will do nothing to solve the health crisis caused by 12 years of understaffing and underfunding our hospitals.
“If you were one of the three thousand patients who left the hospital untreated, or if you’re one of their friends or family, you’d be outraged.
“Despite a hospital crisis across NSW, Dominic Perrottet seems to be more interested in being a director than a Premier.”