The West Australian Country Health Service (WACHS) has been accused of misleading the community on planned changes to the North Midlands Hospital at Three Springs.
WACHS Midwest manager Rachele Ferrari had denied claims from the community and staff that five elderly residents would be moved to Morawa, 50 kilometres away.
"There's no direction from myself to the leadership team to the hospital to call any resident's families and direct them to move to another site," she said.
But Three Springs Shire president Chris Lane is not convinced.
"Quite bluntly, I call BS," she said.
"Conversations in depth have been held.
"Community members have spoken about how the residents would move and what they would be able to take with them to Morawa.
'Won't stand for it'
About 40 people, including WACHS representatives, attended an emergency meeting yesterday afternoon ad Ms Lane said she was following up with the WA Health Department today.
"The community won't stand for it," she said.
"They won't stand for this underhanded, sneaky, 'Let's just move you out under the cover of COVID protocols or COVID contingency in a temporary measure' and then the writing's on the wall that Three Springs Hospital will be downgraded.
"That's the feeling of the town.
"The way things go, when things are temporarily closed in the country, they very rarely regularly reopen.
In a statement, Ms Ferrari said she had attended yesterday's meeting to confirm "no one is being moved".
"Families of residents at North Midlands Hospital in Three Springs have all been contacted and assured there is no decision to transfer their loved ones," she said.
"We are doing everything within our power to keep country hospitals operational despite global workforce shortages and the ongoing demands of the pandemic.
"These are uncertain times, that’s why I want to assure the community that we will communicate with them in the event of substantial changes to the provision of care.
"We apologise for any concern this situation has caused residents."
