Josee  My daughter has often needed emergency medical assistance, and the staff at Bellingen Hospital have just been fantastic! Even as a young adult, my daughter's health has been compromised by immune system dysfunction,

which is only now coming to light at the age of 20.

Josee  

Taking this hospital away from our community is basically saying that community health is not a priority. Not everyone has access to transport to Coffs Harbour Health Campus in the day or the middle of the night. Some people have a car, but not much petrol in it. I remember the days when I lived in Kalang, a single parent with no part time job, and I couldn't even afford the petrol to drive us to the beach on a hot day. 

So, how was I supposed to drive my daughter to Coffs Harbour for medical treatment in the middle of the night when, even if I was willing to spend my last $10 on petrol, there would be no petrol stations open anyway. Well, it is the same for parent of a child requiring medical assistance now, especially during emergencies. Our bodies don't just break down during the day, when there are buses running, etc. 

No-one wants ambulances to be tied up with non-emergency transport through the night, and a kid shouldn't suffer all night long, while her/his parents(s) worry themselves to death, because a facility which was already operating and in use, was closed down by management whose priority seems to be based on standard capitalist business practices, rather than a commitment to community health care.

HEATHER

Heather  I had my little boy, Fat Young, in Bellingen Hospital. It was like a luxury holiday in a hotel. The doctors and niyrses were so caring and helpful. I was in a very difficult family situation and they were aware and sensitive of this. It would be a shame to let this wonderful service go.

ALISON

Alison  my family have used Bellingen hospital for many late night emergencies ~ one being an anaphylatic (sp?) reaction, when my daughter was 2

the elder members of our community also, need our hospital to be kept operating, in it's current location! the staff are wonderful! X

MICHELE

Michele  To the people who are acting on this issue for the benefit of the whole community, present and future - THANK YOU VERY MUCH - your efforts are appreciated.

BRONWYN

Bronwyn Save Bellingen hospital.I was bron there and my two boy's where too,my family and friends have had to stay there at times and a lot have work there.Where will the staff go for work if its gone,and the staff are all so good.It serves a big community WE HAVE TO SAVE IT

BECKY

Becky  I had the pleasure of working at the bellingen hospital for a few months in that time i discovered a lovely community of caring people something like that shouldnt be lost from our area.

COMMENTS POSTED ON SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL FACEBOOK PAGE NO 5

Marguerite: 

 Bellingen Hospital was a very decisive factor in my sea change from Sydney to Bellingen over a decade ago. As a single mother with a young asthmatic child I needed to know that I could access an emergency service, that was close by, no matter what time of day or night. I have indeed used the service many times and would feel that the community would be robbed of this asset . Although my daughter has since grown up and moved away. I would like to see the hospital survives this senseless closure, ensuring its fantastic care for others with high health risks.

LYNNE : Yes, My children were able to spend nights there in the Children's ward, close to home. I hadn't realised till recently that ambulances aren't free. What does that mean to travel from Bellingen to Coffs ?
Marguerite: 

Its not a viable option for serious injury or life threatening illnesses, regardless of the cost...

Mary:  

umm u know i just got one / it was like 400 dollars from Bello to Coffs, pension covered it, but those without that card get stung badly!

COMMENTS POSTED ON SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL FACEBOOK PAGE NO 4

 300 fans in one day ! Go Bello ! Who says we don't need our hospital ? Add all the family members and that's a lot of people. What are your experiences with Bello Hospital ? Why is it important to you ? What are you hopes and visions for Bello Hospital ?

Laura  My mother and auties were born in Belligen Hospital, all my 7 brothers and sisters and I were born at Bellingen Hospital, 2 of my 4 children were born at Bellingen, For 1 i was forced to go to coffs due to bellingens services being down graded and just 7 months ago I gave birth at home  because it was the only option that suited my family situation. Neither me or my husband drive and many a time we have needed to catch a taxi to make the 4minute trip to the hospital in the middle of the night when our little pumpkins have been ill.

Catching a taxi to coffs or having to wait for a ambulance in the middle of the night is not only unnesessary but could be life threatening. Please keep the hospital services we have and my wish is that they will go back to what they were.

Tokana : 

I hope Bellingen Hospital will receive more funding from the government and become better -renovate the place, pay the staff better wages, and make their patients more comfortable. I know that I've always gone to Bellingen Hospital, even f I needed to be transferred. I will have my children at Bellingen Hospital one day. I love and appreciate the wonderful staff who put in long hours and never complain at what they do -but they do complain about the wages not being enough for the amount of time they put into the hospital and their patients. They also make you feel welcome and important. They're always friendly to patients and each other, and they tend to your needs. SAVE BELLINGEN HOSPITAL!!!!

Mary : 

they should have never let the old part deteriorate the way it did to be pulled down we needed clover wade


Kevin    

The spirits of those people born at this sacred place are our biggest allie....who are they?...search your database for information?...anyone Famous?....where are they now?...

Dashiel :    

bellingen hospital born, beliingen hospital mended many times

Jed:  

that hospital saved my life

Rebecca : 

i gave birth to 3 of my 4 children in bellingen hospital with my last i had to be sent coffs after i had the baby i asked to be sent back to bello ( i had a few complications) i was back the next day much to my relief ( I didnt like the rats running around a Coffs), Bellingen hospital cares.

Briony: 

I broke my shoulder bone, from a horse riding accident way back when I was about 12. I was treated at Bellingen hospital, they were very good to me

Hannah: 

I had many major asthma attacks at Bello , they saved my life more than once, and there was never a wait x

COMMENTS POSTED ON SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL FACEBOOK PAGE No3

Kevin. The jaccaranda's..the river...the beauty and magic...the place where healing shines...No F...... Way....If this sacred place should fall humanity will suffer...Bellingen hospital Will Remain & we will make it happen...276 people...come on my fellow being's learn your history....invite everyone U know to this group....Sacred places for white Australia are Rare...this is one of them....

Mary  WELL GOOD LUCK! WIF IT ALL, my experience is this the government will do what the government wants to do and if u think for one moment that any of us punters are worth it in there eyes ..... . . . . ur dreaming wake up, otherwise cigarettes would have been banned totally by now. . . they are $$$$$ hungry barstards in a human grocery store!

Mary Brennan 

take this comment down like u took all my other comments down lol lol lol but at least someone will read it before that happens hehehe i just get up too early i suppose! the birds do it everytime!

 

Mary Brennan 

i had great experiences at bello hosp and some totally nightmarish ones as well but we wont mention that will we as we are just focusing on the positives / i was a detox support person for a long time with their d/a program the staff didnt understand! they were somewhat judgemental but thats not bello thats everywhere!

Mary Brennan 

i am half joking as everyone usually takes down mine as i always write as a bit of a devils advocate / sometimes ppl , look with those pink glasses on, do u know the rose colored ones ...and i hate seeing what i see but still its a fact and we cant change facts!
BELLINGEN HOSPITAL...i lament
I STAND UP THERE AND cry WHEN I AM there in THE GROUNDS.

THIS IS THE PLACE... this is where I fell in love with my daughter, i remember standing in the sun outside with her in my arms and she was like 2 days old and showing her the trees and all the flowers and i looked down into her eyes and at that moment i fell in love right there / it was a beautiful spiritually charged moment. Every time i am at the hosp i go to that place and smile / it was like she knew... she has had the opportunity herself to stand at that tree where we fell in love as she is bigger than me now and yeah she remembers / I DONT WANT THESE FOOLS TO DO THIS TO OUR TOWN.... my comment about clean town and dirty pub and now we got clean pub and dirty town, i see all of these changes have only served to rip the very heart out of the community / taking the hospital is a travesty we cannot return from ever, what can we do to stop this, how can we stop this??? 

 

INDIGENOUS MATTERS : ANOTHER COMMENT POSTED ON SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL FACEBOOK PAGE

Carol Leon. They should go back and read or listen to the The Elders from the Indiginous people of this land as a lot of our relatives use to walk the back road from Bowraville to Bellingen Hostpital to have there babies.

Welcome to the information site for Bellingen Health Action Group (BHAG)*

THE OFFICIAL BHAG SITE is NOT connected with the SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL BLOG nor with the FACEBOOK PAGE but hopefully are aiming for the same outcomes.  

Welcome to the information site for Bellingen Health Action Group (BHAG)*

This site exists largely to keep the community informed of the unfolding developments around the threat to our local hospital.

The North Coast Area Health Service is currently reviewing the services available at 21 small hospitals.  It appears to be a real and present danger that Bellingen River District Hospital might lose Acute Care Beds, Maternity and Surgical Services, and even the Emergency Department.  Given our increasingly frequent isolation by floods, and already stretched services at Coffs Harbour, much of the community see this as a threat to the welfare of every individual in our community.

http://www.save-bellingen-hospital.com/

COMMENTS POSTED ON SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL FACEBOOK PAGE

Vicki: of course - save bello hospital. All my children were born there and it is a great hospital with fabulous staff - so save bellingen hospital

Anthony  i was born there. thats a good reason to keep it open. Plus Bellingen needs a Hospital. They do a good job!

Linda  I was born there,as was my husband and my three children.I also worked at the hospital as an enrolled nurse.

Marg  In my dream world Bellingen Hospital and Community Health Services would be managed by a local representative board who really cared for their staff.

Jenny  I gave birth at Bellingen Hospital and would love to have my next child there!

Carol  My three grand children were born in Bellingen Hostpital and all the Doctors and Staff have always been there for me when I neeed there help SOOOOOO p[LEASE don't close our wonderful hostpital down as the whole Community needs the doors to be kept opened.

David  As we recently had our hospital closed down in Cowes, I feel for you. Can't these idiots get their priorities right?

What are your experiences with Bello Hospital ? Why is it important to you ? What are your hopes and visions for Bello Hospital ?

1. Natacha
   
   
   Simple. I was born there. I want to have my children there. I am honoured to have Bellingen on my Passport. SAVE BELLINGEN HOSPITAL!
2. 
   
   
   Mary
   

   my friends mothers did their nursing training there and my children left hospital after birth also....a proper place really and so dignified the problem is VAL SIMS LEFT wheres val when we need her! come back our hospital is in all of the original paintings / drawings / pictures / of Bellingen circa pre 1900, this place has true meaning WHY THE HELL DIDNT OUR MAYOR mr troy....say TO THE NSW PREMIERE ....WHERES OUR MATERNITY WARD B******.......WHILE UR THERE WHAT HAPPENED DID YOU FORGET UR RECENT LIP SERVICE YOU GAVE US / UMMM BET U DIDNT SAY B****** LOL I would have sed more me self lol lol not good / this is government bullshit decisions at its freekin finest and our kids are gonna suffer and we dont get to see our grand kids born here...what is that shite~ ♥
3. 
   
   
   Marissa :  
   
   

   Our family has gone the full circle of life on the grounds of that hospital. Lives have begun and lives have ended there.
   
   The community deserves to access this basic right and to hold onto the precious heritage of their town.
1. 
   
   
   
   
   

   I hope the marernity services can once again be offered without the consern of there being a midwife on, so that future children in my family can be born in bellingen were I, my siblings & our first babies have been born & cared for so well.
4. 
   
   
   
   
   

   Rebekah:
   

   I was born in bellingen, my sister & brother were born in bellingen, I had my first baby in Bellingen,My sister had her first baby in Bellingen. I wanted to have my second baby there but because of the current situation was unable to.
   My first baby was born quickly & with the cord around her neck, not breathing comeing from Dorrigo we never would have made it to coffs. Im tankfull I was allready in coffs when I went into labour with my son because he was born quicker
   The Doctors & staff @ Bellingen were AMAZING when we had our first. All through my second pregnancy ( & last years floods) I was teriffied of having to make it all the way to coffs. Without Bellingen maternity services its a long way for the women up the mountain!!
5. 
   
   
   
   
   

   Ilse:  
   
   

   I was born there:) Plus u need a hospital out there for all the people who live even further out as well! Its needed!
6. 
   
   
   
   
   

   
   
   

   Mary:
   

   total idiots in glass domes
7. 
   
   
   
   
   

   
   
   

   Meera:
   

   My father is 76 and lives in Bello.

COMMENT BY JOHN POSTED ON SAVE BELLO HOSPITAL FACEBOOK PAGE

John : Save Bellingen Hospital Do not close it ! Lots of retired and elderly people in homes and nursing home in Bellingen.. I worked there as a locum radiographer 10years ago.