OPINION: Government departments are notoriously bad communicators so when we hear one department has failed to tell the other about a major construction project in Gunnedah, odds are they’re probably right.
Residents may be surprised to learn the Gunnedah Hospital helipad is not in operation but not because of the ongoing hospital redevelopment.
Hunter New England Local Health District is currently reviewing the viability of the Gunnedah Hospital helipad. Apparently this is due to a requirement to support larger aircraft at the helipad.
In the meantime, the hospital’s designated landing site has been transferred to Gunnedah Airport and has been for some time.
No big deal, right? After all, that’s what airports are built for – to land aircraft – and in Gunnedah it’s only a few minutes (at most) drive from the hospital via Cohen’s Bridge. But as many on the northern side of the Namoi River would know, that’s not the case currently.
The bridge is closed to all traffic until May 30 due to ongoing construction work.
Transport for NSW have been advising people for months about this closure and the planned work.
A detour is in place but it adds about 14 minutes to the trip under normal driving conditions.
Ambulance NSW, which oversees about a dozen helicopters across the state including the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, highlighted that its vehicles travel at speeds above the normal range for emergencies so the detour time would obviously be shorter.
Nevertheless, it’s still crucial minutes which could prove critical when local lives are at stake.
Surely these provisions for the helipad and bridge closure could have been accounted for and other arrangements made.
It was also noted that rescue helicopters often land at venues likes showgrounds, sports playing fields and other locations depending on the situation. So why not then allocate one of those options – which there are many in Gunnedah close to the hospital – as the temporary landing site?
We asked questions of various agencies related to this but were told either it’s not their area of responsibility or they were unable to comment.
We can only hazard a guess and assume it would be too difficult for aircraft to negotiate public areas open to the community which may already be occupied with activities and events.
For what it’s worth, the health district assured the Gunnedah community the helipad’s ongoing closure does not impact patient care. But I wouldn’t be surprised if some might be looking for a little more reassurance.
– Sam Woods
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