The state government is defending the public private partnership announced for the new Maitland Hospital at Metford.
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| Scot MacDonald |
Shadow Health Minister, Walt Secord fears it could lead to a two-tiered Americanised hospital system which would disadvantage the most vulnerable.
But Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald says public patients will still receive free treatment under Medicare at the new hospital.
"We have very clear standards across the country, not just NSW; that the Commonwealth provides the Medicare system and everybody will continue to have access to that," he said
It doesn't matter what your life circumstances are, doesn't matter where you live, you will have access to the emergency department and all those other services."
The decision has been questioned by Labor, who have asked about the future of beds at the Metford site.
Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison says the Government "refuses to answer any questions on beds".
"We have originally had a promise that it would be a John Hunter-ish sized hospital. So that's around 630 beds," she said.
"The next reiteration was at around 400. The minister can't even commit to that number."
"Are we even going to get any new beds out of this deal?"
However, Scot MacDonald has said the design of the new hospital is not based "on the old formula, if you like, of number of beds".
"We'll very much be guided by what the physicians ask for and what the community wants and the community of the Lower Hunter is different to the John Hunter Hospital."
"That community has different needs."
