March 20, 2012
Community support continues to grow for the campaign to upgrade Latrobe Regional Hospital (LRH) with more than 2000 local residents registering their support.
LRH has applied to the Federal Government for $65 million in funding to build a new emergency department, additional endoscopy facilities and more beds for acute care.
The Nationals Member for Gippsland Darren Chester placed the issue in front of the Health Minister again this week when he lodged signed petitions supporting the upgrade.
Mr Chester is working with the LRH board and staff to secure the funding in this year’s Budget.
“More than 2000 local residents support the campaign because they understand that infrastructure improvements need to be made at LRH to improve health outcomes,” Mr Chester said.
“They know that the staff at LRH do a fantastic job but there is a critical need to upgrade the facility to not only improve working conditions but also meet growing demand for health services locally.”
Mr Chester said the strong participation in the LRH ‘Run for Your Life’ Fun Run and Walk last weekend was another indicator of the community passion for the hospital and support for the proposed upgrade.
“More than 740 local residents supported the Latrobe Regional Hospital in its fundraising initiatives on the weekend with a walk and a run through the Kay Street gardens area of Traralgon’s streets,” Mr Chester told Parliament.
“While the fundraiser on the weekend was…a success, it would take a lot of fun runs to raise $65 million.
“The Latrobe Regional Hospital is going to need a massive injection of funds in the upcoming months to meet not only the current demands of the community but also the future expectations of the Latrobe Valley and the broader Gippsland region.”
Further copies of the petition are available on Mr Chester’s website at www.darrenchester.com or by contacting his Traralgon office at 126 Franklin Street on 5174 1341.
People can also support the campaign by liking the ‘Help Fix Our Hospital’ page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/helpfixlrh