Bradford takes ‘save our hospital’ message to Whangarei

Green MP Sue Bradford will be joining a protest in Whangarei tomorrow (Monday 6th September) to ask for the restoration of 24-hour surgical cover to Kaitaia Hospital.

Sue, who lives near Kaitaia, will join others from the region in the protest outside the Northland District Health Board meeting at Whangarei Hospital.

“People once served by Kaitaia Hospital now have to travel up to five hours by road to get to the nearest large hospital, at Whangarei,” said Ms Bradford, who will speak at the rally. “It is imperative that Kaitaia gets 24-hour hospital cover, including for things like caesareans, rather than having to rely on ambulances and helicopters to get people to Whangarei.

“The Health Minister keeps saying that local people have accepted the withdrawal of 24 hour surgical services but that is manifestly not the case. Many of the hundreds of locals who marched through Kaitaia earlier this year will be travelling with me to Whangarei tomorrow to make that point again.

“The Green Party believes that DHBs and the Government should be supporting local hospitals like the one in Kaitaia, rather than reducing services,” said Sue Bradford.

Time: assembling at 11:15am, Monday 6th September.
Place: Whangarei Hospital carpark.

© Scoop Media