Northern Sydney is celebrating a big win for people power. The NSW government is pledging to restore $1 million in funding after the community stood up en masse to make its point to parliament.

Wahroonga resident Dr Yvonne McMaster, who spearheaded the campaign for community palliative care services, was among the supporters in the galleries during the parliamentary debate on 17 August.

“I am very very pleased,” Dr McMaster says. “The 23,000 signatures really blew them away.”

Also very pleased that the funding was restored “for this critical service for our most vulnerable patients” is Health Minister Jillian Skinner, who says, “People deserve support and services which help them preserve dignity when they are facing end-of-life issues.”

The pledge was a direct result of a petition was tabled in parliament protesting cuts to palliative care by the previous Labor government. The petition was signed by more than 23,000 people.

The funding will enable Wahroonga’s Neringah Hospital to once again operate at full strength its palliative care service, which offers 24-hour phone support as well as home visits. HammondCare, which took over Neringah in 2009, had been unable to continue funding the shortfall.

Follow: Subscribe to this post's comments

Previous Post: Property Market Optimism is Rising

Next Post: Homeowners’ Tips to Cure Dampness