NSW: Queensland hospital airlift not unusual, Della Bosca says

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2008
NSW: Queensland hospital airlift not unusual, Della Bosca says

NSW Health Minister JOHN DELLA BOSCA has defended the airlifting of a car crash victim
to a Queensland hospital .. saying transporting patients over state borders is not unusual.

Critically injured GEORGIE BATTERSON was flown 400 kilometres from Kempsey on the NSW
mid-north coast to Queensland's Gold Coast on Saturday .. when no intensive care beds
could be found in NSW.

Her son WAYNE says it was five hours before she was airlifted from Kempsey Hospital
to a private hospital on the Gold Coast .. including two hours on the tarmac while the
doctor on the Westpac rescue helicopter rang around for a bed.

Mr DELLA BOSCA's told Fairfax radio other states and territories perform the same transfers
when necessary .. but he'll look into the delay.

AAP RTV ab/wjf/jmt

KEYWORD: BATTERSON (SYDNEY)

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