Hospital to count carbon cost

Brand Liberal candidate Donna Gordin has claimed the carbon tax could cost Rockingham General Hospital more than $200,000 a year.

Ms Gordin was joined in Rockingham by Coalition regional health spokesman Andrew Laming on Monday, who said the hospital’s 144 beds could potentially cost an additional $282,000 per year to run based on New South Wales figures on average cost increases because of the carbon tax.

‘‘The carbon tax seriously risks frontline health services such as emergency department beds, elective surgery and specialist outpatient services,’’ he said.

‘‘The cost of everything this hospital does will just go up and up.’’

Ms Gordin said the carbon tax’s impact on hospitals would be felt by struggling families, with private health insurance premiums set to rise.

‘‘It’s becoming clearer by the day the cost increases are more wide spread than the community has been led to believe,’’ she said.

‘‘The compensation the Government has led us to believe will cover these cost of living increases will not.

‘‘Brand is also home to Waikiki Private Hospital and Peel Health Campus.

‘‘Like most businesses, when their costs increase, they are left with no alternative but to pass the increase on to the consumer.’’

A Rockingham General Hospital spokeswoman said as the hospital was public, patients do not incur any fees for treatment and this would continue to be the case.