During the time the new hospital has been open, less than a year, there have been reports of doctors not being available to see emergency patients, surgeons complained about their treatment by management and there was a strike over a lack of staffing. 

More recently, hospital staff have come forward to shed some light on the conditions they reportedly face at the facility, such as no longer having time to focus on personal care of patients or missing food breaks and working eight-day weeks. 

The Bega District News has previously reported 24.2 per cent of patients spent over four hours in SERH’s emergency department from April – June last year.

But figures released by the Bureau of Health Information show that increased to 30.9 per cent in the period of July – September 2016.

The furor around SERH is not the first controversial case involving Southern NSW Local Health District CEO Janet Compton.

In 2015, Ms Compton resigned from her position as head of the Northern Hospital in Victoria after concerns about its performance. 

Fairfax Media reported between January and March of that year the Melbourne hospital treated just 43 per cent of category two elective surgery patients on time. This category included patients needing hip, knee and heart valve replacements.

Also, the hospital had been under investigations into bullying and concerns about patient care among plastic surgeons. 

After Ms Compton’s sudden resignation, Thomastown Labor MP Bronwyn Halfpenny reportedly told the Whittlesea Leader she was glad she was gone. 

In March 2016, Ms Compton was appointed CEO at the Southern NSW LHD in time to see the opening of SERH that April. 

By the end of last year, Bega Valley Health Service’s general manager Heather Austin retired and director of medical services Dr Geraldine MacCarrick had also left. 

At the time Ms Compton admitted there were “teething problems” at SERH, but believed there was a way forward and the hospital would be able to open extra beds this February.

However, taking into account the recent claims by staff it appears confusion remains over the functional direction of the hospital.