The name of Wagga’s public hospital is still up in the air with Murrumbidgee Local Health District yet to reveal the results of a public survey.
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In a response to a community campaign to change the name of Wagga Rural Referral Hospital back to Wagga Base Hospital, MLHD agreed to consider a name change.
But despite a public vote closing on December 1 and a subsequent meeting about the name change proposal on December 13, the results have been kept a secret.
According to chief executive Jill Ludford, MLHD was working with NSW Health to finalise the outcome of the survey “as soon as possible”.
“However, our community are assured the name of the facility does not impact the role and function of the hospital in any way,” Ms Ludford said in a statement.
The multi-million dollar upgrade of Wagga’s public hospital saw it elevated from “base hospital” to “referral hospital” status, which also prompted the name change. But residents were attached to the former moniker and Wagga woman Catherine Pierce started a petition to reverse the name change in April last year.
In August, almost three quarters of respondents to a Daily Advertiser poll voted to change the name back to Wagga Base Hospital, while 9 per cent voted for Wagga Hospital and Wagga Rural Referral Hospital respectively.