VISITORS to the Tamworth Country Music Festival on Friday or Saturday this week are encouraged to stop by a special stall and sign a petition to save the Wee Waa Hospital from closure.

Narrabri Shire mayor Darrell Tiemens, deputy mayor Brett Dickinson, Cr Ethan Towns and concerned members of the Wee Waa community will be on the corner of Peel and Fitzroy Streets on Friday, January 24 from 9.30am and again on Saturday, January 25, from 8am.

The mayor and deputy mayor will oversee signature collections on Friday and Cr Towns and Wee Waa residents will man the stall on Saturday.

The Save the Wee Waa Hospital petition needs 10,000 signatures to be debated in NSW State Parliament. The petition has so far collected 3000 signatures.

Meanwhile, State member for Barwon, Roy Butler, said the people are demanding the local hospital be returned to normal operating hours.

“I spoke to the Health Minister earlier this month and he continues to reaffirm his commitment to keep the hospital open and to return it to normal operation, with a Visiting Medical Officer and increased services,” Mr Butler said.

“The problem lies in recruitment of a VMO and full nursing staff for the hospital, which Hunter New England LHD has so far failed to do.

Narrabri Shire mayor Darrell Tiemens addresses the media at the recent rally to save Wee Waa Hospital.

“It has been suggested that an inquiry is needed to work out why HNE has been unable to recruit staff, or to come to an agreement with a VMO.

“When Western LHD was confronted with a similar problem at Nyngan Hospital, going to reduced hours in October, 2022, they engaged with the community working group formed to discuss the issues, they increased their recruiting efforts and by the beginning of 2024 they were back to normal operating hours,” Mr Butler said.

“HNE were unwilling to engage with the Wee Waa Hospital Community Working Group and are showing a lack of interest in recruiting staff for the hospital.

“We have to ask the question why the HNE LHD efforts are failing, and we also must revisit the idea of splitting up HNE LHD, so that hospitals in New England have their own designated health district and are not having their resources drained to fill the needs of hospitals on the coast.

“I have requested a meeting between the Minister and the Wee Waa Hospital Working Group,” Mr Butler said.