Documents expose aged care capacity crisis at Coolamon

COOLAMON’S ageing health facility was denied two additional aged care beds because of inadequate infrastructure, newly released government documents have revealed, reigniting concerns over the future of a long-promised redevelopment.

The Coolamon-Ganmain Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) was unable to accommodate the additional beds in July 2025, despite plans for a new, expanded facility having been announced by the former Coalition Government more than two years earlier.

The revelation comes as internal NSW Health correspondence identifies Coolamon and Grenfell as the state’s two highest priorities for capital investment in regional Multi-Purpose Services, raising fresh questions about the future of both projects.

The documents were obtained through a parliamentary order for the production of government papers, known as Standing Order 52, initiated by Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke with the assistance of Coalition colleagues in the NSW Legislative Council.

Ms Cooke said the findings confirmed longstanding concerns about the impact of ageing health infrastructure on regional communities, particularly older residents seeking care close to home.

“This evidence is heartbreaking because it means at least two Coolamon residents have either had to leave their hometown to receive care or remain in a hospital bed elsewhere because there was no capacity to place them at Coolamon,” Ms Cooke said.

Steph Cooke MP outside the Coolamon-Ganmain MPS | Image: Supplied

“The Government has had plans for an upgraded facility sitting on the shelf for almost four years.

“Instead of delivering the infrastructure needed to keep people close to family and support networks, it has allowed local residents to wear the consequences of underinvestment in regional healthcare.”

The Coolamon-Ganmain MPS redevelopment was promised by the former Coalition Government in 2023, with plans for a new, expanded facility to address the limitations of the existing infrastructure.

However, the project has not proceeded under the Minns Labor Government, leaving questions over when, or whether, the proposed redevelopment will be delivered.

The newly obtained documents suggest the consequences of those infrastructure constraints are already being felt, with the facility unable to accommodate additional residential aged care capacity.

Similar problems have emerged at Grenfell MPS, where nine federally approved residential aged care beds have been unable to become operational because of limitations within the existing state-owned facility.

Despite these constraints, internal departmental correspondence reportedly identifies both Coolamon and Grenfell as the Regional Health Division’s highest priorities for capital investment in Multi-Purpose Services across NSW.

Steph Cooke MP at Grenfell MPS | Image: Supplied

The findings have intensified calls for the State Government to clarify its intentions for both facilities, particularly as regional communities face growing demand for accessible health and aged care services.

Ms Cooke, who has continued advocating for both redevelopments since the change of government in 2023, said the documents raised serious questions about the Government’s regional health investment priorities.

“If neither Coolamon nor Grenfell is guaranteed funding, it will be difficult to conclude anything other than that the Minns Labor Government is either walking away from investment in regional Multi-Purpose Services or playing politics with health spending,” she said.

“The Government has before it clear evidence from local communities and its own department that these projects are urgently needed and ignoring that advice would be impossible to justify.”

Ms Cooke argued that the internal assessments strengthened the case for both projects to receive priority consideration in future health infrastructure funding decisions.

“If the Government intends to build new Multi-Purpose Services anywhere in regional New South Wales, there is more than enough evidence to show that Coolamon and Grenfell are the next in line,” she said.

“Failing to progress these projects would send a worrying message to every regional community waiting for better health infrastructure that even when the need is proven, and the evidence is overwhelming, they may still be left waiting for action.”