Health Minister Brad Hazzard says a decision on providing about $2 million for a palliative care unit in Orange will be made in the next two months.
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From the ministerial profile I am looking very favourably at it.
- Brad Hazzard, NSW Health Minister
Local campaigners were disappointed when the funding was left out of Tuesday’s state budget.
However, Mr Hazzard told the Central Western Daily on Wednesday he favoured the project but needed advice from health department officials before committing funds.
“By July-August we should be able to make some announcement,” he said.
“From the ministerial profile I am looking very favourably at it, but I just need to have the professional [input].”
Mr Hazzard said he was impressed by the arguments presented by the Orange Push for Palliative Care group when he met them in Orange this month.
“The residents were fantastic in arguing the case,” he said.
“I think it sounded like a reasonable proposition but I have to take professional advice.”
Mr Hazzard said while it hadn’t been included in the budget there was other funding available to be used.
The Orange proposal is for public and private palliative care patients to have access to four rooms at Dudley Private Hospital.
“The funding for that will be accessible if the decision we make is, on the balance, the way we would proceed,” he said.
Mr Hazzard said there were other public-private schemes operating in NSW.
“That’s not Robinson Crusoe,” he said.
Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW, Rick Colless, said he believed the funding would be provided.
“Last time I spoke to the Health minister he indicated that palliative care wouldn’t be included in the budget,” he said.
“He understood the importance of the issue.
“He said he would have a look at it later on, sometime later in the year.
“A positive response, but no commitment.
“I’d be surprised if it doesn’t get funded,” Mr Colless said.
“We’ll keep working on it,” he said.
Member for Orange Phil Donato said he was disappointed by the decision.
“I’m still hopeful there may be an announcement,” he said.
“After 10,000 people in our community signed a petition there is significant need and demand.”
Mr Donato said he hoped the decision would be announced soon.
Orange Push for Palliative Care group chair Jenny Hazelton said she was hopeful the minister would be able to provide the funding.
“My initial reaction [to the lack of funding in the state budget] was that we had a good conversation with the minister on June 4,” she said.
Mrs Hazelton said she had hoped to get a decision in two weeks.
“We were very encouraged by his support and we eagerly await his response to our presentation.
“This is an urgently needed facility in Orange.”