SHADOW Minister for Health Jillian Skinner has introduced a notice of motion in Parliament calling on the Rees Labor Government to immediately take action to address the concerns of Nepean Hospital staff, including filling the 62 vacant health professional positions and 7 vacant cleaning jobs at Nepean Hospital.

"The dedicated staff at Nepean Hospital are doing an outstanding job, but they have been let down by an out of touch, incompetent Rees Labor Government,” Mrs Skinner said.

"I have spoken with a number of Nepean Hospital staff in recent weeks and they are becoming increasingly frustrated by the Rees Labor Government’s failure to address the serious issues they have raised.

"That’s why I introduced a notice of motion in Parliament today, which congratulated hospital staff for their hard work, noted their concerns and called on the Rees Labor Government to immediately lift the recruitment freeze on frontline hospital staff and take the necessary action to improve working conditions at the hospital.

"Hard working frontline hospital staff are being punished for the inexperienced Premier’s ability to manage a budget.

“Nathan Rees was loose with the truth when he promised his November mini-budget would not see cuts to frontline hospital staff.

“No matter how much the State Labor Government spins, the community understands that Nathan Rees’ mini budget cuts have resulted in 80 hospital staff positions, including 62 health professional positions, being left unfilled.

“The NSW Liberal/Nationals have a positive and practical plan to introduce health districts, which will give frontline hospital staff and community representatives a direct say in the management of hospitals.

“When my motion is debated I hope that local Labor members Karyn Paluzzano, Allan Shearan and Diane Beamer join the NSW Liberal/Nationals in congratulating the dedicated Nepean Hospital staff for their hard work and calling on the Premier and Health Minister to fill the frontline vacancies."