"IT'S a band-aid hospital."
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Taree-Wingham Race Club chairman Greg Coleman is blunt in his assessment of Manning Hospital in the wake of the shocking racing accident at Bushland Drive Racecourse in Taree on Monday.
NSW Ambulance directed five ambulances to the racecourse on Monday to assist six fallen jockeys involved in a race fall.
Officers worked to treat Samantha Clenton, Jackson Murphy, Kaylee Kirkwood, Nyssa Burrells, Taylor Marshall and Travis Wolfgram and acted to transport them by ambulance to Port Macquarie and helicopter to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.
Today Taree-Wingham Race Club chief executive officer Brian Leggett said "it is my understanding that no jockeys went to Manning Hospital."
"No one went to Manning Hospital," Mr Coleman said.
"I was on the scene 10 minutes after it happened and the kids were distressed. It was terrible.
"I spoke to the ambulance officers and they said all the patients would be transported to Newcastle or Port Macquarie for treatment because Taree had no trauma team. It shocked me.
"I would like to commend the staff. The kids were distressed, they had to treat six out of 12 jockeys and they were on the scene fast and their response was tremendous.
"The ambulance officers were amazing but they are not doctors or specialists and they don't have the equipment that is in a hospital; to be forced to transport patients to Port Macquarie Hospital and not Manning Hospital is an issue.
"I recognise that Manning Hospital could not deal with multiple fallen riders - it's a bit like a bus crash - but I still think it's shocking that people involved in an accident will go to Port Macquarie or Newcastle.
"Look at Kayley Kirkwood's case. Now I would have thought our local hospital had the capacity to deal with her injuries because she hurt her calf and had concussion but she went to Port Macquare Hospital.
"If you're hurt, if there is trauma then it looks like you go to Port Macquarie or Newcastle.
"With a population of 50,000 or even more now that we're one big council, there is a community expectation that our hospital can treat trauma. It's a band-aid hospital and we should be concerned."
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ainslee.dennis@fairfaxmedia.com.au