Moree Hospital is in the thrall of a catastrophic staffing crisis, putting the local community’s access to even basic levels of medical care at risk. Phillip Rodhe, who recently cut his hand while doing work on his property, was shocked to discover there was no physician in attendance when he got to his local hospital to ask for care. As you can imagine, community leaders are alarmed by what is going on. Moree Plains Shire Mayor Susannah Pearse and Northern Tablelands MP Brendan Moylan are appealing to the government to act urgently to address the worsening doctor drought.
As the only hospital for over 8,000 people, it is the lifeblood of the community. It’s failing to keep up with the healthcare needs of the community. Rodhe’s experience is indicative of the challenges patients face in the surrounding region. Well after being turned away from Moree Hospital, Andrew was left with no option but to drive three hours to Tamworth for lifesaving treatment.
Local Leaders Demand Action
Mayor Susannah Pearse has been an outspoken champion for her community on the declining state of Moree Hospital. In order to say that her agency’s actions have been insufficient, she needed to clarify that things have gotten dramatically worse, which they have. Pearse stated, “This is a progressive decline but we are at a crisis point.” She strongly underscored the need for more dependable staffing in these times. She called on Hunter New England Health (HNELHD) to do all they could possibly do to keep the hospital staffed and safe enough to continue providing full care.
Pearse highlighted the unique challenges faced by Moree, stating, “We know we are on the junction of a whole bunch of highways, which unfortunately can have tragic accidents … and an Aboriginal community that has heightened health needs.” This case emphasizes the dire need for qualified medical staff to be stationed at events, prepared to address potential emergencies.
Brendan Moylan echoed Pearse’s sentiments, stating, “Hunter New England Health were unable to staff the emergency department on a permanent basis over the last few weeks.” He pointed out that the reliance on telehealth services is insufficient, saying, “It’s not good enough, a screen doctor cannot do what an emergency health doctor does in Moree.”
Community Health at Risk
Dealing with Moree’s ongoing doctor shortages has spurred both the present and future healthcare crisis alarms. Pearse’s own experiences at the hospital have made her finely attuned to the dangers of inadequate staffing. She recounted a recent incident involving her daughter: “My daughter had a fall at home and we were worried about her arm and I called the hospital and said, ‘Is there someone who can do an x-ray?”‘ The response was discouraging — there was not a single physician.
Moylan further opined that the current scenario should be viewed as a contingency plan at best but is starting to represent the status quo. He expressed his frustration, saying, “What really frustrates me is that in 2025, we have a major emergency department that is unstaffed by a doctor — that’s not good enough.” The community’s health and safety hang in the balance as leaders work tirelessly to advocate for improved services.
A Call for Immediate Solutions
In the midst of this crisis Pearse has been demanding immediate measures to be taken by public health agencies. Moylan is similarly campaigning on addressing staffing shortages at Moree Hospital. As these folks know, residents need dependable and consistent access to healthcare. Immediate action is needed to avert the complete collapse of transit services.
“We need [HNELHD] to be pulling out all the stops that they can to make sure we are having reliable staffing of our hospital,” – Susannah Pearse
The scarcity of potential locum docs further compounds the situation. Moylan mentioned that a locum doctor lined up to work at Moree Hospital no longer was. This deficit puts the local community at risk for critical medical emergencies, like in Rodhe’s situation.
