Director of clinical operations Dr Joe McGirr of Greater Southern Area Health Service, Australia, advised all general managers in GSAHS to “improve the current fiscal position” by implementing cost-cutting measures.
Mothers of newborn babies are being asked to supply their own nappies and patients will be refused extra blankets or linen under drastic new hospital cost-cutting measures, reported by Daily Telegraph.
Hospitals in the Greater Southern Area Health Service (GSAHS), which covers Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Albury, Goulburn and Queanbeyan were issued with the directive on January 23 to save money by “looking at linen usage and practices”.
NSW Health Minister John Hatzistergos says the memo issued by the service was inappropriate. “The area health service has been ordered to review its practices immediately,” reported ABC News.