NSW Labor today called for an independent investigation into the State Government’s blunder where it replaced white cotton linen hospital blankets with blue polyester microfibre ones – which patients in the Illawarra say are unsuitable for winter.
Shadow Health Minister Walt Secord and Labor Member for Wollongong Paul Scully also called for a halt to the distribution of the new blankets – and “pause” on the sale or destruction of the linen blankets until there has been a proper and thorough assessment.
They were also responding to news reports in the Illawarra Mercury.
Earlier this year, the State Government decided to replace the white cotton linen blankets with blue polyester micro-fibre ones. The linen is supplied to hospitals in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven and the Southern NSW local health districts.
Nurses and hospital staff are being forced to give patients extra polyester blankets to keep patients warm, but then they complain that they are unable to move due to the weight of the extra blankets.
Patients also complaining about uncomfortable static friction between the polyester sheets which cause minor shocks.
Complaints have been made at Moruya and South East Regional (Bega) as well as Wollongong hospitals. The Southern NSW Local Health District has defended the decision saying the new blankets had “superior heat entrapment”, but patients say otherwise.
Quotes attributable to Shadow Health Minister Walt Secord
“This is the latest stuff up in a health and hospital system that lurches from crisis to crisis under the Liberals and the Nationals.”
“We see the Liberals and Nationals pouring billions of dollars into Sydney – with massive cost over-runs. But they can’t even get the selection of hospital blankets right.
“Staff have advised us that the new linen just appeared and they were instructed to start using them. No one asked for the change. The blankets just appeared but it quickly became apparent that NSW Health had made a mistake.”
Quotes attributable to Labor Member for Wollongong Paul Scully
“This is a ridiculous situation.”
“By all means, the State Government should replace hospital blankets when they wear out but don’t just change them for the sake of change – especially without a proper and thorough examination. Clearly, this has not occurred.”
“There is so much need in the area of health and hospitals in the Illawarra and the South Coast, but again, we see another example of waste and mismanagement.”
“Patients know best. They know when they are cold. Just imagine being an elderly patient who has just had a hip replacement with very limited mobility – being told by a health bureaucrat that you are not cold.”
“Furthermore, the extra blankets mean the patients are pinned down under the weight.”
