Reopen the Auburn Dental Health Clinic

It was just another slap in the face for the residents of the western 
Sydney suburb of Auburn when the Auburn Dental Health Clinic was 
closed.

A leaflet published by the Auburn branch of the Communist Party says that 
the closure of the clinic was a sly and sneaky move. The State Labor 
Government closed the clinic in the lead-up to the 2002 Christmas school 
holidays in the knowledge that residents would not notice the closure until 
the New Year.

It was closed without consultation. Staff were quickly transferred to the 
Westmead Hospital and told the reason for the closure was poor facilities 
and a lack of security for staff. Even the local Labor Member of Parliament 
Barbara Perry claimed that she knew nothing about it until told by 
residents.

An important service

The health clinic provided dental check ups for all primary school students 
in the Auburn Council area and, if necessary, gave follow-up dental 
treatment.

It provided a dental health education program for children by visiting 
local primary schools, childcare centres and mothers' groups. It also 
organised dental health awareness at community activities such as the 
Auburn Festival.

Auburn has a large percentage of low-income, migrant and refugee families 
and without this important service many young children will never see the 
dentist and will develop dental problems at an early age.

But prevention is better than cure and a small investment in children's 
dental health is cheaper than treating people for related health problems 
when they are older.

Poor excuses

The Western Area Health Service that is responsible for the closure keeps 
changing their story as to why the clinic was closed. It was first claimed 
poor equipment and no staff security was the reason. Then that there are 
not enough therapists for the clinic, but the therapists were transferred 
to Westmead Hospital.

Auburn residents now have to make an appointment at the Westmead Dental 
Clinic where there is waiting list of six-weeks or more and the extra 
expense of travel and time off work.

Another alternative is to pay for private health care for children that can 
be very expensive.

Both options disadvantage the many struggling low-income families in 
Auburn.

A committee of local residents has been formed to take up the issue and 
have collected hundreds of signatures to a petition calling for the 
reopening of the clinic. A delegation has been sent to the Mayor to ask 
Auburn Council for its support.

A group of local residents will attend the next meeting of Council and ask 
for time to address Council on the matter. Local residents are being 
encouraged to attend this meeting which is on September 17.

The Auburn Branch of the Communist Party is calling for the clinic to be 
reopened in new premises within the Auburn Hospital and with new and modern 
equipment in a safe environment for both the patients and the staff.

Auburn Branch of the CPA can be contacted on cpaauburn@yahoo.com or by 
calling Suna on 9723 0223 or Edward 0414 761 618.