The lack of car parking at Millicent and District Hospital continues to be a “red button” issue and its management has called on Health Minister Chris Picton to act.
Millicent Health Advisory Council presiding member Dr Kevin McGrath has highlighted the unsatisfactory situation to Mr Picton in his annual report for 2022/23.
It generated considerable discussion when the Millicent HAC held its annual general meeting at the hospital last week.
“The need for more car parks needs to be pursued with the Minister,” Dr McGrath said.
The hospital “lost” a number of sealed car parking places around seven years ago when large above-ground water tanks for fire emergencies were installed in a project costing almost $1m.
It had been intended to create a new sealed car park but there was a budget overrun and it was never done.
As a result, visitors and staff at the hospital, Millicent Community Health and the Sheoak Lodge aged care facility are often forced to park their vehicles on bare ground.
Senior registered nurse and HAC staff representative Alice Brennan said the car parking issue needed addressing as there were trip hazards and especially at night.
Ms Brennan queried whether nearby SA Water land could be used for this purpose.
HAC member Moira Neagle said she had raised this possibility with the Wattle Range Council engineering department but was told there were logistical problems.
“Car parking should be discussed with Member for MacKillop Nick McBride,” Ms Neagle said.
“The Labor Party are trying to get him into the fold.”
Former Millicent Hospital Board chairman Don Gilbertson said approaches had been made several years ago to the State Government department which controlled the SA Water land.
“It was too hard and turned by the department,” Mr Gilbertson said.
Dr McGrath said he would like to see younger people take an interest in the affairs of the hospital.
He said they had a younger cohort when Millicent Hospital had birthing services but they ceased over a decade ago.
“People are not really interested until they spend a night here,” Dr McGrath said.
“They do not get to see inside the hospital until they have something like a sports injury.”
Another lively issue at the yearly forum was the role of the SA Health Media Unit.
According to Dr McGrath, local health administrators cannot speak directly to the media.
He said the Wattle Range Hospital Auxiliary informed the Media Unit of a significant equipment donation in 2022 but there had not yet been any publicity about it.
Millicent resident Darrell Looker said there were good news stories about the Millicent Hospital which should be publicised.
“We have two excellent reporters in town,” Mr Looker said.
Wattle Range Mayor Des Noll spoke of his frustrations with the Media Unit and issued a personal statement after the HAC meeting.
“The presiding member and committee members of the Millicent Health Advisory Council are very frustrated about the lack of community communication from SA Health advising of the events that are occurring at the Millicent and District Hospital,” wrote Mayor Noll.
“An example is the external capital works that are currently occurring at the hospital.
“It seems nobody can discuss what is occurring.
“A question from the floor of the annual general meeting was asked, regarding who has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of the Limestone Coast Local Health Network.
“No one in the room was prepared to answer.
“There needs to be a greater sharing of community information regarding one of the community’s greatest assets, our hospital.
“A local media outlet informed the meeting that contact is made with the SA Health Media Unit as required but they get a limited response.
“Therefore, they are not able to inform the community to what is occurring at our local hospital site.
“This is disappointing for our community as one would think the Local Director of Nursing/Executive Officer would have the authority to speak on behalf of the hospital keeping our community informed of events that occur in and around the hospital.”
