NURSES' MARCH 254 NOVEMBER 2010

http://www.nswnurses.asn.au/

Annie Schmidt: Support safe nurse patient ratios in NSW! Nurses will walk through Bello from 11.30 am Wednesday, on a 2 hr strike...for patient safety! We need ratios that Victoria won 10 years ago, 1 nurse to 4 patients! Join us to inform the community.

Beautiful Bellingen - a set on Flickr

Beautiful Bellingen - a set on Flickr

http://nellibellingen.wordpress.com/

YouTube - Rally for Bellingen Hospital

YouTube - Rally for Bellingen Hospital

BELLO HOSPITAL PROTESTERS HEAR POLLIES POSITIONS : NBN

BELLO HOSPITAL PROTESTERS HEAR POLLIES POSITIONS : NBN

BELLO SONG FOR RALLY ON 24 JULY 2010

[Spoken:] 
There's a Bellingen businessman, lying, dying, 
and he gets himself up on one elbow, 
and he turns to the pollies, 
who are gathered 'round him and he says: 

[Sung:]
Let me hospital be, you mob,
Let me hospital be.
We need our services here, sport,
Need our services here.

Lets keep acute care beds, Tebs,
Keep our acute care beds.
Recovery’s cheaper here, dear,
Recovery’s cheaper here.

All together now!
Let me hospital be, you mob,
Let me hospital be.
We need our services here, sport,
Need our services here.

Bello’s right for babies too, Vahid,
Right for babies too.
Coffs’ great if things complicate, mate
Great if things complicate.

All together now!
Let me hospital be, you mob,
Let me hospital be.
We need our services here, sport,
Need our services here.

We need ED all night, Haze,
Need ED all night.
Let those ambos just come, chum
Let those ambos just come.

All together now!
Let me hospital be, you mob,
Let me hospital be.
We need our services here, sport,
Need our services here.

Give our theatre more to fix, Nics
Our theatre more to fix.
And x-rays too on call, and all
Xrays too on call

All together now!
Let me hospital be, you mob,
Let me hospital be.
We need our services here, sport,
Need our services here.

Coffs’ in dire straits, Chris,
Coffs is in dire straits.
Let Bello share the weight, mate,
Let Bello share the weight

All together now!
Let me hospital be, you mob,
Let me hospital be.
We need our services here, sport,
Need our services here.

TRACEY K

 Tracy Kimber: re  Munro : (now 4yo). The pre and post natal care I received in Bellingen was incredible (Lyn, Trev and all the team). As a single mum with no family, the support was much needed and appreciated. I was born in Bellinger R. D. Hospital and although Munro had to be born in Coffs (what a horrible experience) wespent less than 24 hours there. Couldn't wait to get back to the nurturing nurses in Bellingen.

June 15

RACHAEL N

Rachael Noble: My mum was a nurse in Bellingen for over 40 years, beginning at the age of 16 living in the nurses quaters when Bellingen was a training hospital. She has always spoken very highly of Dr Dunn, sad to hear he is not well. What a brilliant man.

DIANNE W

Dianne Wall (nee Casey) Keep up the good work saving the BRDH. I worked in the office when Mr Curtis was secretary and before I went to Wagga to nurse. Joan Knight/Radford worked with me.

MERVYN AND SOPHIE

COUPLE IN BELLO HOSPITAL

Carmel Daly. 

Saw this in the Saturday's paper - great consideration for a lovely married couple.

Liz Stewart. 

real people real life real love.

Shannon Wake. 

My Awesome Nan & Pop!!!! Thanks for the story Graeme, and thanks for the photo Aunty Beth!

ALISON C

 Alison Carter: have just watched Prime News and Pia with her pleasing results. Here's hoping another 4 midwives can be found very soon. one step covered, now about the EM 24/7 and xray 7 days. With the re-opening of maternity will we get another new foetal monitor? BUT don't forget to tag whatever is bought for the particular cause or it will fade along that big black highway. Well done BHAG.

JENNI McL

Jenni McLennan 

Oh man this is getting nasty - I know for a fact that the Lions have donated 10s of thousands of $$$ worth of equipment to our hospital. Makes my blood boil. THIS STINKS !!!!!!

JENNY E

 Jenny Edman: From what I remember some or most of these missing items were donated to the Bello hosp, so really no-one had the right to remove them, Rotary and Lions donated a lot of pieces of equiptment to our hospital over the years, so did local business houses, the missing equiptment should be returned to it'ts rightful home.

MARGARET G

 Margaret Glyde MR CHRIS CRAWFORD, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HIM HOW ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED EMERGENCY TREATMENT TO GET TO AND FROM COFFS HARBOUR HOSPITAL WHEN THEY HAVE NO TRANSPORT

STEPHEN P

 Stephen Peirce I understand where poeple are coming from and agree that its crazy that the hosptial is on the brink of colapse, BUT If the items that have been removed that were donated to the hospital did not have conditions placed in writing you only have a moral leg to stand on, Chattles are treated differently in law

JIM BELSHAW'S NEW ENGLAND BLOG

http://newenglandaustralia.blogspot.com/2010/05/round-new-england-blogging-tracks-15.html

SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL SONG

http://www.myspace.com/savebellingenhospitalsong

About Save Bellingen Hospital Song

Written by: Kaitlyn Tomlinson, Danielle Tomlinson, Leah Daniel, Kelly Stoner. Performed by all the above with the gracious help of Pete Rundle on drums. A small group of Bellingen youth have come together to write a song about the spirit of Bellingen in an attempt to help the Bellingen Hospital Action Group in their efforts to save the hospital’s present services. The group has been collaborating with local singer-songwriting Kell Stoner and have come up with a song, exploring the story of the hospital through a historical perspective – collaborating on such aspects as the song’s structure, lyrics, recording, music and instrumentation. In order to write the song the group researched local history through the library and the historical society and did a lot of talking to local people of the area that have lived here their whole lives and whose families have lived here for generations. After collecting initial information and inspiration, the song was written over a bunch of sessions over a couple of months –many of the lines in the song actually come from conversations with locals about times past... With so much inspiration – the first draft of the song was 8 verses long – over 6 minutes! But after much deliberation and editing it was cut down to the most important 5 – there was so much information they wanted to put in – and it still extends to 4 minutes. Most of the tracks in the recording were also played by the young songwriters – including vocals, backing vocals piano and flute. Thanks so much to the Bellingen Health Action Group who instigated this project, especially Kaye Foran, and the Bellingen and Seaboard Youth Services who supported it along the way! Save Bellingen Hospital Song They say the river was so deep Your ears would almost burst And they followed it through the dark woods To find a dream of red gold And they floated it back down the rover Like the red tears, of the old ones Settlement had begun And with the men came the women, And the children that they bore Looking around they settled down, Slab hut, dirt floor And the midwife journeyed through the deep black scrub She would be there, horseback mountains rivers flood chorus Because a town is built of wood and stone But it takes commitment to build a home The river changes, but it still flows on Community grows, but it still stays strong And a hospital was built, from the pockets of the people, They paid a shilling a week, to keep it free And the health care scheme, was so successful It spread across the state and the country too And there were, dances in the halls They rode their pushbikes to the theatre And the boats made their way All the way up the river But you could have heard a pin drop The day the hippies came to town Farmer’s jaws hit the floor When a flood of colour arrived at the pub door Nowdays town’s more a mixed back of faces Farmers, life stylers, old local names Self-sustainers, tree changers And town brings them in from a far chorus Because a town is built of wood and stone But it takes commitment to build a home The river changes, but it still flows on Community grows, but it still stays strong Now the powers that be, want to scale that hospital right right down But the people of this town, like to stand their ground Because if you take away the foundation stones on which a community leans You take away more than wood and stone You take away a sense of community You take away a sense of unity chorus Because a town is built of wood and stone But it takes commitment to build a home It takes so many hands to build While it takes so few to tear it down It takes so many hands to build While it takes so few to tear it down cause we have so many hands to hold what it too so long to build cause we have so many hands to hold what we fought so long to keep we have so many hands to hold we have so many hands to hold

SOLVEIG L

Solveig Larsen Thanks to Peter Clarke for filming this for us.. video available on Youtube.. Please support the empowerment of people and the values we all hold dear, but which are quickly being eroded by Bureocracy and consumerism. Saving this hospital is a symbol of 

the recognition of personal freedom and dignity, and the care we each deserve.

ANNE F-B

Anne Foyer-Boyd-  

And if you do make it to coffs you could be lucky to get a bed

SUSANNAH MCL

Susannah McLennan

Like me on Monday night. I arrived at Bellingen hospital (8 minute drive from home) after experiencing severe breathing difficulties...thought it was an asthma attack and have since discovered it was a collapsed lung. Would not have made it to Coffs Hospital in time!

DR LITTLE

 The head of the hospital’s medical staff council, Dr Deidre Little, accused the Health Minister, Carmel Tebbett, of by default supporting the closure of acute care beds, midwifery and overnight accident and emergency services. What we say to NCAHS is "What you are doing is badly done,” Dr Little said. “If the service is axed and these people have to instead go to Coffs Harbour, I am worried that some won’t make it.”

BELLINGEN HOSPITAL PROTEST

BELLINGEN HOSPITAL PROTEST

http://nellibellingen.wordpress.com/

Facebook | SAVE BELLINGEN HOSPITAL

Facebook | SAVE BELLINGEN HOSPITAL

http://nellibellingen.wordpress.com/

Facebook | SAVE BELLINGEN HOSPITAL

Facebook | SAVE BELLINGEN HOSPITAL

CELY O'N

Cely O'Neill " I HAVE BEEN TO BELLO HOSPITAL AND SURVIVED "....I've had 4 small ops at BELLO and I can't praise the staff enough....

 

If it wasn't for BELLO, I don't know how long I would have had to wait to get into Coffs....My gyno does his day ops at BELLO.....I have another checkup next week and I'm hoping that I won't need another...if I do I know that it will be at BELLO's beautiful hospital...FYI, my short hair was done for The Worlds Greatest Shave..

ELAINE C

Elaine Cowin 

i was born at Bellingen Hospital in 1959, what a beautiful place to be born.

CINDY GEE

Cindy Gee 

i did my sen training at bello in 1976 and i was also born there in 1958. keep bello alive

JENNY E

Jenny Edman 

I worked at Bellingen Hospital from 62-64, Domestic staff, that was when the Hospital was a training hospital and a lot of well trained nurses passed out her doors

VANESSA M-A

Vanessa Miller-Aucote:  

We had to take our 17 month old bub to Bello hospital at 10.30 last night, the staff were wonderful as always. It definitely would've have been a much worse situation if we'd had to travel to Coffs, then home again at 2am. I doubt we would have even been seen by 2am in Coffs.
We NEED a hospital here ~ What are they thinking??

4 MAY 2010  at 16:42 

Bellingen Older Women's Network

Bellingen Older Women's Network

YouTube - North Coast Hospital Job Cuts and Belligen Hospital

YouTube - North Coast Hospital Job Cuts and Belligen Hospital

BELLINGEN RESIDENTS PROTEST HOSPITAL CUTS : NBN

BELLINGEN RESIDENTS PROTEST HOSPITAL CUTS : NBN

http://nellibellingen.wordpress.com/

LYNNE SANDERS-BRAITHWAITE

LYNNE SANDERS-BRAITHWAITE

Facebook | 2/3 PIONEER BATTALION

Facebook | 2/3 PIONEER BATTALION

SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL

SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL

Facebook | State Records NSW

Facebook | State Records NSW

News - NSW Police Force

News - NSW Police Force

SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL

SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL

LOCAL DOCTORS

A spokesperson for local doctors said the statement that NCAH is committed that all staff changes would improve efficiency and service delivery was “particularly amusing and galling”. “When they closed our kitchen, destroyed our steriliser, removed our ice making machine , stopped us doing inductions of labour and generally doing maternity, nobody gives an admin whether quality of service to our patients is affected.

JENNY E

Jenny Edman Well our Premier has signed Mr Rudd' proposal, all the money that has been promised to NSW is any going to be share with our Rural hospitals or is it only for the city, no mention of Mental or Dental health even Aged Care missed out on a mention, it has taken years for our Health system to get in the state it's in, does our Prime Minister honestly think he will fix it with his emty promises, I think not.

Jenny Edman 

Also is the said money gouing to go to-ward stopping hospitals from closing

 

SUE H

Sue Honeybrook I'm not an expert, but the Rudd plan would seem to detract from the little local hospitals like yours. As someone who lives in the big smoke, but having visited the gorgeous Bellingen, it would be a crime to take your hospital away. What happens with floods and in any case it's too far to those other hospitals? Good luck guys!

Mel Sifko 

They are taking it away it is kind of a done deal they are turing it into a hospital for old people...they have run it down into the ground bastards!!!

 

Sue Honeybrook: 

Both our current governments are pretty good at the whole Stealth thing. www.raid.org.au and if you know anyone in Port Macquarie, tell them that I found a tender hidden in the Department of Housing website for 97 DoH houses near the beach, coming soon, apparently.

 

Sue Honeybrook 

Remember the three p's.

people. protest. press. 

NURSE TRAINING

Jenny E  

Bellingen used to be one of the best training Hospitals on the North Coast many years ago, until the powers that be decided to have nurses Uni trained.

Wed at 18:04 ·  · Report

Alison C 

yes, I did 3 years and had to transfer to Grafton to complete 4th year - no fun as both were entirely different places.

JIM BELSHAW

Jim Belshaw The new health changes add to the urgency of rebuilding Bellingen hospital now.

This blog post explains why.

ALISON C

Alison C 

interesting point - others did nursing as they did not get the score to do the course they wanted - others went straight into ICU, education, admin etc away from the general beds.

JUANITA G

Junita G 

I would have thought that hospital training for new nurses would have always been the best policy. Years ago when i did my nursing aid course , it was amazing to see how many people dropped out of the course once they found that they could not cope with working in the wards 

JIM BELSHAW

Jim Belshaw Has anybody thought of seeing if the rural medicine course at UNE - I think that there are now 180 students - might be linked to Bellingen Hospital as a teaching hospital? Just a thought.

ALISON C

Alison C 

will the use of GST cause a precedent for using the money for something else in the future?

Alison C was interesting to note that emergency, aged care and mental health for young souls have investments, but what of the middle and aged care with mental health issues. Mental health has been on the top of the list for a few months now, and now it is only for the young. What other side steps are in the budget.

Alison C will staff be able to return if staff increases at the coal pit are coming - but where are they coming from? What will happen with the nurse manager/executive officer position - will they go back to the same and with the same people?

Alison C when will the money be subdivided so that we can see exactly (not hear) what is happening. The report sounded as if most of the 118 beds up for closure have been saved the axe - or will BRDH become one of the promised increase in Aged Care beds?
Have a friend in BRDh at the moment and is able to relax and get better under the watchful eye of the nurses. Good to notice that under the beds there is not a speck of dirt unlike other places.

MARGIE W

Margie W 

we need some one with insite qnd mosr of all awareness

CAROL C

Carol Leon. I was in Bellingen Hostpital last week end and could not have been looked after better, the staff are wonderful, as I always joke and say that they can't close our Hostpital here in Bellingen as I am part of the furniture, all the Doctors and Nurses look after all te people who go the. We need to keep Bellingen Hostpital Opened

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Ian Rose Over the last 2 decades I have benefited several times from the services of Bellingen Hospital, as a visitor to the area I have no way of seeing a Doctor any other way especially as on most occasions it was something of an emergency & it is impossible for an out of towner to get a booking with a local Doctor.

PATSY ANN E

Patsy-ann E    well Bello hospital has come in handy again after a work accident today my nephew has had to access the facilities to remove wood from his abdomen, had a doctor check him out within half an hour if we went to coffs we would probably still be waiting...at least we know he is comfortable tonight.....SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL!!!!!!!!!!!!

ALLAN T

Allan T     Stupid socialist governments think they should social engineer the masses theyb get in to dedt then it is lets centralise things go hard to keep bellingen open Iwas a patient there in the late sixties lived at gleniffer +dorrigo you need a hospital keep up the good work

SHIRLEY C.

Shirley C My first position as a registered nurse was at this hospital way back in the early seventies, my mothers family were Bellingen/ Glenniffer locals and a lot of my family have been treated at this hospital. It would be such a shame to seee it close, I wish you all success in keeping it open for the people. I have such good memories of my brief time their.

TEXSY LEE R

Texsy Lee R last year i got a bit of hot embers in my eye and some was still in there i could of done some damage to my eye but the doctor on dutie fixed the problem i got in straight away what would we do if we had no hospital i didnt have a car to get to coffs harbour hospital i would have to hitch hike what if i was aducted and killed along the way well the government is killing our little town of history we need to chain ourselves to the hospital hunger strike the whole town needs to join in and any near by town communitys that rely on our historic hospital and if the hospital was heratige listed they cant take it away from us we would loose out so much

MARY B

Mary B 

you see i would suggest the reason for getting rid of the really old part / long term plan / they knew if they left it there it would be heritage listed and it friggen should have been anyway at least the exterior and i have sed this to like five ppl already today, they planned the whole darn thing as long back as getting rid of that part and putting up the caravan type hospital, sure services etc but you were all snowed with their rhetoric about how the old hosp was unusable in its original state, what a lot of fkn shit, that is a lie from the pit of HELL

PATRICIA R

Patricia Reed    On 2 occasions in the past 5 years I've needed to seek after hours care for a severe case of 'asthma like' symptoms associated with a heavy flu, and a corneal abrasion that left me temporarily unable to see out of my L eye. The fact that Bellingen Hospital was so close, and the prompt attention I received from the fabulous Emergency staff there, saved me needing to drive all the way to Coffs Base, under less than ideal conditions. It would be a complete travesty to lose this remarkable resource, and we simply cannot allow it to happen!

ANNETTE M

Annette M    The Accidents and Emergencies Department is a life saver for so many who wouldn't be able to make it to Coffs. The staff are not only knowledgeable, but also show tremendous empathy for the patients and their families. This hospital must be saved and not just become another nursing home.

SARAH F

Sarah F    

both my boys born there in lucas 2005 and asher 2008

TEXSY L R

Texsy Lee R: 

i was born in bellingen base hospital july 31 1979 as well as so many befour me and few after and proud to say that my grandmother margaret glyde delivered the sara qaud back way befour my mum was born

REBECCA F

Rebecca F    

Dr Dunne delivered me and a few of my cousins in Bellingen Hospital

MARISSA G

Marissa G      

First Baby ~Akira Odin birthed beautifully and peacefully at Bello supported by caring midwives and Dr. Cheney

MARGUERITE M

Marguerite M    A very dear friend of mine passed away at Bellingen Hospital on New Years eve a few years back. The staff were incredible. They treated him with compassion, great dignity and though he was not in paliative care, the aid rendered to him would have made Elizabeth Kubler Ross proud to know that such a quaint regional hospital could provide that level of care.

DEBBIE McF

Debbie McF     How about the gov use their brains if they have any, and think about what is best for the discrict and not what is best for them. This hospital also supports towns in wide area eg dorigo. How do they know whats best for the area when they don't live there would be a different story if they took on of the pollies hospitals away

GAYLE G

Gayle G 

Is there a public protest in the pipeline???

FANS STATS

26% of the Fans are between 18-24 - the biggest single age group on the SBH !!! They also have the best balance between M and F ! Go Young Bello ! Also proves the need and wish for a 21st Bello Hospital. 

TEXSY LEE

Texsy Lee Rowe     this painting that i have is over 30 years old of my grandfathers place on north bank road which is the turf farm now thats why we must cherish every little thing of bellingen even the hospital

PETER McG

Peter McG Saw the doco on this hospital on TV a while back (last year), it may have been 60 minutes, but you are right, you need this Hospital in Bellingen....

I work at the only hospital in Darwin NT, and see the same thing happening across Australia.......The bean counters, those not at the coalface, cut services to save money, and it gets them qudos, a promotion & they move on......

while we at the coalface pay a terrible price for this thoughtles stupidity afterwards, here we have had several coronial board of enquiry, and the people who answer these didn't make the cost cutting decisions at all, but they wear the fallout, scapegoated and blamed for the mistakes ..........

GILLIAN

Gillian H-A     

Hmmm, could it be that any health professional would be for all services to stay at Bello!!! lol

MAX F

Max F      

The Area Health Service and the Government couldn't care less. They have already made up their minds and it appears that nothing will change them. The closure has been in the pipe line for over 15 years.

CAROLINE J

Caroline J thanks to everyone who came to the photoshoot this morning especially the beautiful Dad and Mums and Grandparents and our Mayor Mark who came had a piccie in the park on a beautiful morning and the wonderful Solveig who took all the great pics. Check this weeks issue of the Courier Sun Wed 24th the day of the community Council delegation to see the Minister for Health Carmel Tebutt.

CAROLINE J

Caroline J Betty Sara who gave birth to her quads at Bellingen Hospital delivered by Doctor Hewitt sixty years ago would like to offer to become a patron of Bellingen Hospital and offers all of her support in preserving Health Services and especially maternity and midwifery for Bello Mums.

YVONNE R

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Yvonne R It is imperative to save this Hospital, it services such a large area, the community needs this Hospital.........from Yvonne Roff

SANDY P

Sandy P       my god. the best hospital in the world. my brother henry paulger was the smallest baby ever born there. my son jason oxenbridge was born there . thank u dr. dunn. keep bello going. they and dr. dunn saved the life of my youngest,shannon oxenbridge. come on.!!!

PAT C

Pat C      Who wants to feel like a number in a bigger hospital when you can be treated like a real person in one like Bellingen's?

ROZ Y

Roz Y Thank you to the staff at Bellingen who took such good care of Clarey Richards who passed away this morning. Clarey was a great man, a lover of all things natural, he will be missed by his girl Evelyn

SAMMI C

Sammi C    Don't forget the photo shoot in the park today at 10am for mothers (pregnant bellies get extra points ;-) )! Still on, if it is raining at the time, we will meet inside the library.

JANETTE L

Janette L     What we need to do is band together as a community and support our hospital in any way we can to keep it operational,try attend meetings when possible that the BHAG hold and lend your time and expertise when possible so we dont burn out! We all have to be in for the long haul and share the responsibility,we can do it if we all contribute.So lets stand up and pull together and make it happen. Oh, and buy a bumper sticker or a ticket to the ball:-)

COLIN F

Colin F treated there a few times and operated on once. the best hospital I have had the pleasure of being sick in!

RILEY Y

Riley Y I was born at Bello hospital 1959 as also were (different years) my 6 brothers and 3 sisters-all delivered by Dr Hewitt.

My sister started her nursing career at Bello hospital

4 years ago my elderly father was at Bello hospital for a considerable time and the care was 1st class

I beleive that small hospitals provide a more personable/friendly experience than larger hospitals

It shouldnt be only about money/saving costs but that is where Governments come from.

I for one would be prepared to pay more tax if I knew that it would be solely spent on hospitals only--I know I am living in a fairy land again

Good luck with trying to keep the hospital open

JANETTE R

Janette R I did my training at Bellingen in the 60's. I have been back as a patient since. Still is a great hospital. Definitely save the hospital!!!!!!

ERIN C J

Erin C J What is this world coming to??????? What's next schools too? THINK PEOPLE........use that lump 3 feet above your bum.

HOLLY C

Holly C   Don't destroy an integral part of this wonderful town / region!

KAY C

Kay C   Don't keep spoiling a great little country towm like Bellingen - it's my second home!

MA V

Ma V 

yeah! Clover...go girl!! haha

ALEC DONALD W

Alec Donald Wilson  

Deep sigh ...♥ 

MARY B

Mary B well

 if it wasnt for clover wade we wouldnt even have the neighbour hood centre as the last remnant of the original school here in Bellingen, some times u just gotta keep fighting! the locals didnt like it when she did that, maybe these locals should have taken more notice of her tactics, as now thus same ppl are facing same problems but bigger! PROGRESS, not everything new is progress!

CAROLINE J

Caroline J The delegate for BHAG who will carry our message to Carmel Tebutt next week gave an eloquent and stirring presentation of case to keep the Bellingen District Hospital and its services. There were about seventy people at the Golf Club and the Senators listened to presentations about the needs of our town. She will accompany the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor to Sydney next Wed 24th to see the Minister and she will carry our heartfelt wishes and a good case for keeping Bellingen Hospital open and functioning.

JENNY L

Jenny L What a Beautiful part of the world is Bellingen the people are so friendly n caring i've passed through there heaps of times in my travels n they have the best lollie shop so do the right thing by the township n save their hospital n why your at it leave the rest of the smaller n country hospitals alone:0)

CAROLINE J

Caroline J 

The strongest force underlying my committment to SBH is the right of Mothers and babies to be born safely, close to their home. If you can come along to the photoshoot for Mothers and Bubs on Friday you will make a powerful contribution to the campaign to SBH as a picture is worth a thousand words.

See you on Friday morning at 10.00 am

NIKKI

Nikki Dale SAVE BELLINGEN HOSPITAL :)

VANESSA

Vanessa Miller-Aucote 

My first baby was also born at Bello hospital, the first on new years day in 2007. Bello hospital is a beautiful place to have access to. I recently spent 2 weeks there after an op, the staff are just amazing!! But can only imagine the hard time my partner would have experienced having to travel back and forward to Coffs to enable me to see my two young children. This community needs the hospital right where it is!!!!!

SAMMI C

Sammi C A callout to all the Bellingen Mothers-

We need a
group of pregnant mothers, mothers with babies or older children to
come and be a part of a photo shoot to raise awareness of birthing
issues in the shire. Both local artist and photographer
Solveig Larsen, and local media agencies, will be in attendance to take
photos with a view to highlight our needs for appropriate local home and hospital birth options. The
photos will also be a part of a presentation made by the Bellingen
Health Action Group to Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt next week.

We will hold the photo shoot at Maam Gaduying THIS FRIDAY at 10am- please come if you can. You can rsvp your attendance at this FB group:http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=310612278514&ref=nf

Photo Shoot to Raise Awareness of Birth Issues

Location:Maam Gaduying (Council Park)

Time:Friday, 19 February 2010 10:00

CRAIG N

Craig Neill    I was born at Bellingen Hospital, as was my brother. George Henry himself delivered us both. He sewed me up on occasion. As time went by both of my children were also born at Bellingen. The most caring and loving environment you could not ask for. The genuine love and care was amazing, so much so that the Midwife (Val) was so excited that she declared my daughter to the world! Dr Little beat me to the hospital on that wonderful occasion. Where else would one expect such extraordinary one on one care. Bellingen Hospital is much, much more than that. May it be allowed to continue.

HEIDI H

Heidi H 

Yeah that was back when there was even a peadiatric unit.

SHARON C

Sharon C    I was treated at the hospital last night for a nasty bite on my bum, it really is a fantastic hospital that must not be allowedto close. I'm from England and I see how everything goes belly up when the cottage hospitals close there, I visit bello every year and as I see the community growing this service becomes more vital for the town and surrounding areas.

ANNIE S

Annie S      

Bellingen hospital is vitally important for this community. It is the greatest little hospital on earth, has the best care and wonderful staff and it is an honour to work there. We must save it 

REBECCA S V

Rebecca S B I live in Bellingen and have 4 precious little children. WE MUST SAVE THE HOSPITAL!!! the amount of times that i have been to the hospital with the kids is unbelievable, ticks, Stitches, burns, temperatures, concussion, rashes let alone the broken arm and being in labour. I hate to think what could happen to my beautiful children if the hospital was to close. What do we do for the people that live 20k out of town and have a heart attack, or get bitten by a snake or have an accident. WE NEED TO SAVE OUR HOSPITAL!! For us now and our children in the future..