Plea to keep centre open
Albany MLA Peter Watson has implored WA Health Minister Kim Hames to lobby the Federal Government for funding to keep open the doors of Albany's only general respite centre.
In Parliament last week, Mr Watson raised the impending closure of Albany Community Care Centre's respite centre if it cannot secure future funding.
The centre, which opened in 2010 and provides short-term respite and accommodation to Great Southern care recipients or carers over the age of 45, could be forced to close on June 30 when its one-year grant from the Federal Health Department ends.
Mr Watson urged Dr Hames to "use his power" to lobby Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley over the situation, which he described as a "crisis" for the community.
Dr Hames said two colleagues had lobbied him about the issue.
"I sent them to speak to the Federal Minister for Health and to say they really should not stop this funding because it is critically important," he said.
"My Federal colleagues are lobbying her right now."
Centre chief executive Colleen Tombleson said she was grateful for the support but there had been no new offers of financial assistance.
"We appreciate any support to raise awareness of the huge gap that will be left in the community and Great Southern if we are forced to close," she said.
Ms Tombleson said the service provided 43,000 hours of essential care each year and had been operating at 90-95 per cent capacity since 2010.
Ten part-time employees who run the 24-hour, five-bed service stand to lose their jobs if it closes.
