Holiday hotspot's emergency department to close as new regional hospital opens

Christine Hayes credits the Batemans Bay Hospital emergency department with saving her life after a stroke, but fears the upcoming closure will be too late for future emergencies. The hospital's emergency department is set to close early next year as the region prepares for the opening of the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital in Moruya, located 30 kilometers south.

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The nurses and doctors there saved my life.

Local GP Dr. Andrew Gibson expressed concern over the extended travel time for urgent medical treatment. He highlighted that the Batemans Bay area has a population of nearly 20,000, which swells to around 80,000 during the peak holiday season from Christmas to Easter. "I think that is a dangerous thing and it doesn't have to be if we had maintained an emergency facility in Batemans Bay," he stated.

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My heart is also an issue now. I worry that if I have a heart attack, or if I have another stroke, and have to go to Moruya, it's going to be too long before I get there.

The new $330 million Eurobodalla Regional Hospital is a level four facility, offering a higher standard of care and a wider range of services, including a pediatric ward and intensive care unit. The government asserts that the new hospital's location was chosen for its centrality within the shire and estimates ambulance travel time from Batemans Bay to be between 15 to 20 minutes. Health Infrastructure stated that the site selection considered existing roads and traffic, with ongoing collaboration with NSW Ambulance to ensure smooth operations.

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My concern is that there's almost 20,000 people in Batemans Bay, swelling to almost 80,000 between Christmas and Easter, and these people will have to go 30 kilometres for urgent medical treatment.