Dear <insert name>

 

My name is <insert name> and I am writing to express my concern over the proposed closure of Epworth Geelong Maternity Ward and Women's Services. I am also writing to request your support in keeping these services open. The public and private health systems are inextricably linked and a short sighted closure of a private hospital currently facilitating the births of almost 600 babies per year, will undoubtedly have many untold impacts on the public health system and threaten safe access for many women. 
 

You may already be aware but there is a volume of local support from the medical and broader community to keep this facility open including a petition in support of keeping the Epworth Geelong maternity ward open, which is currently near 13.5K signatures. There is an advocacy group across social media, which recently organised a show of support for the hospital staff at the Epworth Geelong with 100 attendees and plans a Public Forum on January 17th 2023. This issue is important to your electorate. 

​

This profiles the impact this has in the Geelong and broader Surf Coast, Bellarine and South West communities with patients traveling from as far as Colac and Port Fairy to access these services.  The impacts of this closure would be devastating and far reaching but this also identifies the real ways support could be given primarily addressing the paediatric staff shortages in the region. 

​

The fact that families in our region are having to travel sometimes hours away to have access to paediatric services is outrageous and is most definitely a public health issue. I am not sure if you are aware but there are no paediatricians in Geelong taking on new patients and yet we have a world class facility claiming to have a shortage, that should be able to accommodate consultation suites, yet they refuse to discuss possible solutions with key stakeholders. 

 

As births in the region continue to boom and families live or perhaps move to the region in the hope of growing a life here, the idea of losing such this new service is unfathomable and dangerous.

​

Furthermore, I am concerned that this proposed closure will threaten the security of current medical specialists at the Epworth Geelong (is there any if Epworth can do this to a women's service?) and compromise attracting new specialists to the Geelong region. Geelong Maternity Group and OGB Surfcoast are first class specialists, they have created a reputation that is of the highest standard, are renowned leaders in their field and as evidence by public records, boast one of the safest birth rates in Australia. 

 wil

I would like to seek clarification on what your office is doing to support local families having children in South Western Victoria, and to ensure that there are private secular maternity facilities available to families in this region. The lack of consultation with key stakeholders and the lack of productive conversation from the Epworth Executive is highly concerning.
 

You are a strong local voice for the people of Geelong and a passionate advocate for infrastructure in the region -we are asking for your support before it is too late.

​

Yours sincerely,

​