Adam Marshall has slammed Hunter New England Health over comments that the Armidale hydrotherapy pool was not “core” business for the healthcare giant.
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The Northern Tablelands MP said the pool was “core business” for Armidale, even if HNEH played down its role and cast doubt over its future.
He said health service officials should be reassuring the community, not provoking locals with inflammatory remarks.
“I was astounded with the comments I read yesterday [Tuesday],” he said.
“It’s great news that the almost 40-year-old hydrotherapy pool has been brought back up to scratch and will be open again to the public next week.
“While the health service has a view about a hydrotherapy pool not being ‘core business’ for them, a facility like this is definitely core business and vital to the local community.”
Mr Marshall has been in discussions with a number of passionate locals about beginning the process of planning and constructing a new and larger hydrotherapy pool in Armidale, away from the hospital.
“No one knows how much longer the existing pool will last, so it makes a lot of sense to look toward the future and ensure that Armidale always has a hydrotherapy pool for the community,” he said.
Mr Marshall said he had written to Armidale Regional Council, Armidale Lions Club and a number of pool users and volunteers on Wednesday, inviting them to be part of a new working party to design and choose a location for Armidale’s new hydrotherapy pool.
“I fully support the construction of a new hydrotherapy pool,” he said.
“This project has to be driven by the community and a working party will be able to bring everyone’s views together, look at other pools across the state and design new pool and its location.”
Mr Marshall said the first meeting of the working party would be held on August 7.
Jenny Bailey, former councillor and hydrotherapy pool supervisor, will head the group.
MORE TO COME.
EARLIER:
Armidale Hospital does not need a hydrotherapy pool, Hunter New England Health says.
“Hydrotherapy is actually not a core requirement of public health services,” HNEH general manager for Northern Tablelands, Wendy Mulligan told The Express on Friday. Why? That’s a hard question.
“I can’t comment on that,” she said. “It’s just not a part of what we do.”
But it’s been a service at the Armidale Hospital for almost 40 years.
“I don’t know why the pool was put in and they don’t put new hydrotherapy pools in health services anymore,” Ms Mulligan said.
The Express contacted HNEH on Friday following news that the pool would reopen on July 24.
But with no assessments done for the long-term maintenance of the pool, Ms Mulligan said the good news could be short lived.
“We can’t continue to maintain it forever,” she said.
“We can’t guarantee that in 12 months time something else isn’t going to happen.”
We can’t continue to maintain it forever.
- Wendy Mulligan, HNEH
But would the healthcare giant fix it again?
“I can’t comment on anything,” she said.
Rusden Street Physiotherapy owner and physiotherapist, Deborah Hunter, said hydrotherapy was great for pain management and rehabilitation.
“It really does help people and it reminds the brain of what the body can do which can then translate to functional activities outside the water,” she said.
“People can move better in the water because it takes away the weight of their body so their joints aren’t loading up as much.
“It can improve mobility and help build strength through resistance of the water. The heat helps in reducing the pain.”
But regardless of its benefits, Ms Mulligan said it wasn’t a “core function” of the hospital.
Ms Hunter said taking the pool away from the hospital would give the community greater access and control.
“The hospital is really looking after acute care patients and the people who usually need hydrotherapy are people returning from acute or chronic conditions,” Ms Hunter said.
