Down grading of Lithgow Hospital – Loss of Wallerawang Power Station and Loss of Rail Infrastructure…

Council has become aware that Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD) is to restructure senior and other positions at Lithgow District Hospital resulting in the redundancy of some senior positions and the transfer of others from Lithgow to Blue Mountains Katoomba Hospital.

This NSW Government initiative continues to cause detriment to the Lithgow community. It is believed there are similar strategies in play throughout regional NSW which will reduce employment and expenditure in areas that continue to suffer from the economic impact of drought, bushfire and the decline in banking and retail services, which have long been traditional employers for our regional youth.

“I believe the NSW Government and its Health bureaucracy have paid lip service to assisting Regional NSW with the provision of Health and other services through their advertised policy of decentralisation, and this is no more acutely felt in our community with the loss of  jobs and employment potential, arising from –

…said Lithgow’s Mayor Clr Ray Thompson

“Lithgow Council is extremely disappointed at the disconnect between stated NSW Government policy and the stark reality of the decisions that are being made affecting regional and Lithgow residents” said the Mayor.