The community group says the state government is “failing” the community. 

In a letter sent to NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard, PHF chairman Edna Carmichael addressed the falling number of hospital beds. 

The shrinking number of beds has been addressed by the group several times, with the fear the hospital will not meet the growing population.  

“[The hospital redevelopment] State Significant Application shows replacement of 63 beds and an expansion of 10 new Sub-Acute beds,” Ms Carmichael said.

“63 replacement beds plus 10 new suites and the 10 existing emergency beds add up to 83 not 119 beds [suggested in the clinical services plan]. 

“Subtract 83 beds from 119 and you get a shortfall of 36 beds.”

Ms Carmichael said this indicated a “decline in accommodation and service capability” at the hospital.

“Bowral Hospital in 2017 had 91 beds according to Local Health District documentation,” she said. 

“[This shows a decline of] 30 per cent compared with the 2021 projected bed requirement, and 9 per cent decline on its current bed accommodation.” 

On a visit to Bundanoon, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said an increase in community-based healthcare meant people were spending less time in hospital. 

However, Ms Carmichael said that an improvement in community-based healthcare could not “make the difference of 36 beds between the November 2017 Clinical Services Plan addendum and the December 2017 SSD Application.” 

“The community is not prepared to accept this inappropriate situation, particularly as we have waited 57 years for a NSW Government to fund a major redevelopment of this hospital,” Ms Carmichael said. 

“The Government has failed to address the needs of this aging yet quickly growing community with the present redevelopment project.” 

PHF have continually stated that $50 million would not be enough to adequately upgrade the hospital and have called on the NSW Government to commit more funds to the hospital. 

“The 2015 pre-election promise of $50 million for [the hospital] has driven more community discontent now that it has been proven that the election lure was less than one-third of the funding actually necessary to deliver that election promise. $110M more is needed,” Ms Carmichael said. 

“It would appear to be a good time for [the] government to increase the funding for the redevelopment of this hospital.

“This would ensure that the projections made by the experts within the CSP would be realised and that this community would receive the first real government infrastructure funding to the hospital since 1961.” 

Wollondilly MP Jai Rowell said he would continue to fight for more hospital funding. 

“As I’ve always said, I see this as stage one and I will continue to push for more dollars for this hospital,” he said. 

“This is stage one and we are at the commencement of spending that $50 million. This will be the same as Campbelltown, where I originally secured $42 million and later $630 million.” 

Mr Rowell said he was in constant contact with Mr Hazzard about the hospital redevelopment.

“I’m in contact with him about securing more dollars for Bowral hospital and I will continue to fiercely fight for that,” he said. 

“We’ve got an election coming up and although I won’t be standing, watch this space over the next 12 months.”