PORT Stephens Mayor Bruce MacKenzie has slammed Hunter New England (HNE) Area Health "bureaucrats" after staff apparently went cold on his proposal to lobby governments for a helipad at Tomaree Community Hospital.
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He labelled it an "absurd situation" when a patient had to be transported by ambulance 800 metres down the road to be airlifted by helicopter to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital.
"Regardless of what the area health service may think, I won't be backing off just because they don't think it's a priority," Cr MacKenzie said.
"At the end of the day I want urgent patients to be able to be wheeled out of the hospital emergency doors into a helicopter and flown to John Hunter or any other major hospital.
"If it can save one life, the helipad will have done its job."
The mayor, with the backing of his councillors, successfully moved at the last meeting that the council ask the HNE Area Health, state MP Craig Baumann, and the state (Julian Skinner) and federal (Peter Dutton) health ministers to build a helipad adjacent to the hospital grounds in Nelson Bay.
Cr MacKenzie said the figure for the cost of construction has overblown.
"I have heard between $50,000-$60,000 but I think it can be a lot cheaper . . . just clear a few trees and build a hardstand for the helicopter," he said.
At present, patients have to be transported from the hospital by ambulance to Bill Strong Oval, from where an airlift can be safely undertaken.
The manager for capital works at HNE Health, Brett Evans, said the helipad wasn't a top priority due to a lack of funds.
"We always welcome the opportunity to engage with [the] council and the community about health matters, including the helipad," he said.
"HNE Health prioritises capital works projects based on the funding available and the community need.
"The Tomaree helipad is not one of the top priorities for development at this time," he said.
"There are no current plans to progress this project."