Signatories to this petition oppose changes under the South Australia’s Country Health Care Plan (‘the Plan’) that reduce hospital services in country South Australia.

Signatories to this petition are concerned that the changes under the Plan that reduce hospital services in country South Australia will:

• Remove appropriate acute care services for local residents;

• Remove appropriate services for convalescence and recovery in our local communities;

• Force local residents (and others, such as tourists) to travel long distances for services outside their local community (including those areas without adequate transport services), away from their families and support networks;

• Limit the capacity for Nurses, Midwives and Doctors to maintain the skills necessary to provide appropriate and safe emergency care;

• Significantly reduce the capacity to recruit and retain Doctors, Nurses, Midwives and other health professionals in country South Australia;

• Adversely impact local businesses due to reduced local consumer and service needs.

Signatories to this petition do not oppose changes under the Plan that improve country health care services, such as the development of the four Country General Hospitals and increased primary health care. However, they are deeply concerned with aspects of the Plan that reduce local hospital services, and it is those aspects of the Plan that they oppose.

The results of this petition will be provided to Country SA and the Minister of Health and calls on the Country Health SA and the Minister for Health to consult appropriately with Nurses, Midwives, Doctors and other health professionals and local communities and to genuinely take these key stakeholders views into account in finalising the Plan to keep hospital care local, without reducing local hospital or health care services.

However, due to the House of Assembly rules concerning public petitions, it is only the physical version of this petition that can be presented to the House of Assembly which then becomes a public document and can be viewed by any Member of Parliament or any citizen. If you would like to sign the physical petition instead, please go to the ANF website; www.sa.anf.org.au and download the document.

We encourage you to support this petition.