Around 125 attended the meeting at Taree-Wingham Race Club to discuss concerns on Manning Hospital NSW Trauma Services Plan and NSW Ambulance Service protocols.

Eddie Wood, a former Manning Hospital staff member of 28 years, made a passionate call to arms.

“We need someone that’s going to stand up and to speak up on behalf of the doctors, the patients, the nurses and all the allied clinical services that we deliver,” he said. 

“What we haven’t got is somebody that is actually going to stand up and say this is Manning Hospital.” 

Mr Wood, who worked as a nurse and also in lower and senior management, said, “the thing is we are putting our hand out for crumbs.” 

Mr Wood made reference to the recent State budget announcement of  $10 million dollars being allocated to continue the Manning Hospital redevelopment stage one in renal and oncology.

“It’s crumbs – 10 million is nothing,” said Mr Wood. 

“We’ve got to stop putting out hands out for crumbs and being grateful for a little bit of money, which is not doing what it’s supposed to do. 

“Nurses should have money to perform work in a good manner.” 

Mr Wood also spoke about the changes within the hospital when moving to the Hunter New England Health Service. 

“The day we joined Hunter New England area health service, we lost our identity, we changed,” he said. 

“If you brought anything up, or said can we apply for this, we need this, we need that, you would be re-educated.

“They didn’t use those words, but you were deemed to be a trouble maker if we actually said we need this, we don’t want to lose this.” 

Mr Wood said “we can’t be settling for second best” in our funding and services. Looking back he recalled departments working brilliantly. 

“We had a brilliant intensive care unit (ICU), a brilliant emergency department. We did a fantastic job. 

“We dealt with trauma, I agree with Dr Sesh, it’s not just about trauma but we need to start somewhere.” 

“For the 28 years I was there we dealt with trauma on a daily business.” 

No appearance was made at the meeting by Hunter New England Health or member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead.

Mr Bromhead sent through a letter which was read by read by Mr Greg Brassell.

Harrington and Lansdowne residents also raised the lack of representation on the issue from member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams.

Lead senate candidate for the Seniors United Party of Australia Gillian Evans of Port Macquarie attended the meeting. 

Alan Tickle said a working committee will meet mid-July to work through the issues recorded at the meeting which will be followed by a meeting with both Hunter New England Health and Mr Bromhead. 

Throughout the meeting reference was commonly made to the politics surrounding the hospital. 

“When you look at politics it’s about changing policy. You become political because you want to change policy,” said Mr Tickle. 

“It’s about a community saying we want change and saying we want you [Mr Bromhead] to represent us to drive this change.” 

The meeting was called by Mr Tickle and Taree-Wingham Race Club chairman Greg Coleman following a five horse race fall at the racecourse, where no riders were transported to Manning Hospital. 

Jockey Kayley Kirkwood spoke on her fall at the racecourse to the meeting. Despite her injuries being minor Kayley was transported to Port Macquarie Hospital. 

“’Id never had a fall before, I was thinking it has got to be serious to not just go to the local hospital,” she said. 

“My grandparents had to drive all the way up to Port. I was discharged at night, they are not very confident drivers but they had to drive back in the night. 

“Lucky they were there, if they hadn't, I would have to make my own way home.

“If they had the staff and those resources it would have saved a whole lot of hassle for everyone.”