PDH

nsw rural health alliance

A combined initiative of Save Our Hospital (Pambula), No More Bandaids Inc. (Tumut) and Bellingen Health Action Group (Bellingen)

The intention of the NSW Health Alliance is to build a collection of like-minded communities who want to share a common avenue to express their various disenchantments with the current provision of adequate health service delivery across rural NSW.	The rules are simple - assuming contributors each represent their community, are honest, and avoid both libellous statements and bad language - they can tell their story. The site's Disclaimer page regarding third party contributions would cover anything else.	Each community represents itself. It appears that many do not have an avenue such as this website to say what's on their mind. The NSW Rural Health Alliance offers that free of charge. The process is simple - contributors email info@savepambulahospital.com.
This page relates fact and opinion from communities throughout NSW in 2010.

9.44am Saturday 31 July 2010 - SMH - Amy Corderoy

Hospital's CT scanner breaks again

Patients at Blue Mountains hospital have been put at risk after vital scanning equipment broke down, doctors say.

The computed tomography (CT) scanner - used to diagnose everything from fractures to cancer - was broken for more than a week. Doctors at the

Katoomba hospital said the scanner was so old it had been considered obsolete since 2008, and it had broken down more than once.

While it was broken doctors had to transfer patients - potentially including emergency patients - to Nepean Hospital, an hour's drive away in Penrith.

But a spokeswoman for the Sydney West Area Health Service said only four people had been transferred to Nepean and none were emergency patients.

A visiting medical officer at the hospital, who did not wish to be named, said the broken CT scanner delayed patient diagnoses: ''It affects patient management and safety.'' The chairman of AMA NSW's hospital practice committee, Brian Owler, said it should be replaced immediately.

Some staff and some in the community have criticised Blue Mountains hospital saying it is not given resources to function fully.

The Blue Mountains deputy mayor, Janet Mays, said the hospital was ''being downgraded essentially to a first-aid post''.

Source

10.05am Saturday 31 July 2010 – Blarney Chronicle - Lisa Cox

Ambulance delays could be fatal

Patients needing ambulance transport from Blayney are experiencing potentially dangerous delays because of understaffing and a decision to divert patients to Orange and Bathurst Base Hospitals.

Ambulances have been bypassing Blayney Hospital since the emergency department was left without a doctor earlier this year.

Residents and health sources said, with just two ambulance officers on duty at a time and none on call, Blayney’s ambulance station was being left unattended and patients were being made to wait while alternative transport was sent from Orange or Bathurst.

One employee in the health sector, who did not want to be named, said Blayney’s ambulance station was left unattended for at least an hour and 20 minutes for every trip the Blayney ambulance crew had to make to Orange or Bathurst.

5.17pm Sunday 25 July 2010 - Northern Star - Dominic Feain

Nurses speak on workplace issues

North Coast nurses took their workplace issues straight to the top this week at the NSW Nurses Association annual conference in Sydney.

While appearances by PrimeMinister Julia Gillard, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon, and her NSW counterpart, Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt, demonstrated the powerful influence of the nurses’ union in an election year, local delegates remained underwhelmed by the pollie’s promises.

Lismore Base Hospital branch secretary Gil Wilson received a stirring reception when he put the issue of ‘part-time’ directors of nursing on the North Coast to Ms Tebbutt.

“She acknowledged the importance of the issue and said she was happy to discuss it further, but wouldn’t commit to a meeting,” he said.

The North Coast Area Health Service has merged the Lismore and Ballina hospitals’ director of nursing positions into one role, which nurses say is unworkable.

“I told the Deputy Premier it would be the same as her taking on the Tasmanian health department with her current job,” he said.

“They are trying to roll this out across the region, and Tweed and Murwillumbah hospitals are in the same boat.

“It might work for smaller hospitals like Coraki and Casino, but not Lismore which is the core of North Coast health.”

Editor: Once again bureaucrats and politicians are applying business logic to a service industry. (See our Facebook discussion on The Shape of Hospital Boards). It just won't work. And what do the communities served by Coraki and Casino Hospitals say to the sentiment inferred in the last blue sentence?

2.40pm Tuesday 20 July 2010 - ABC News

Minister defends regional tour

The Federal Government's Minister for Rural and Regional Health denies his visit to the Far North Coast this week is an exercise in pork barrelling.

Warren Snowdon has announced more than 600-thousand dollars for health infrastructure and equipment in Grafton, and more than 80-thousand dollars for emergency equipment in Casino.

Tomorrow he's due to visit hospitals in Ballina and Lismore and attend a forum at the Northern Rivers University Department of Rural Health.

Mr Snowdon says he made the arrangements weeks ago.

"This has been planned for at least six weeks, so it's not a response to the fact that an election has been called," Mr Snowdon said.

"This tour of these hospitals is about talking about the hospital-reform proposals which the Commonwealth has put forward which is now in partnership with the states moving forward, and that's the purpose of this trip," he said.

"Primarily we've been talking about what the hospital networks will look like into the future," Mr Snowdon said.

"We're awaiting the NSW Government's proposals for hospital network boundaries and we're talking about the establishment of primary health organisations and what their boundaries might look like, so that's been the central focus of our discussion," he said.

5.28pm Wednesday 14 July 2010 - Tweed News - Peter Caton

Fears over birth venue

Expectant mum Shari Hepburn knows she is not the only one being told to go to The Tweed Hospital rather than Murwillumbah when labour pains start in the next few weeks – but she has decided to speak out in the hope health bosses and politicians hear.

Ms Hepburn says she cannot understand the need to downgrade Murwillumbah hospital’s birthing unit.
She says the decision, announced by the North Coast Area Health Service last year, has left many Murwillumbah district mothers like her fearing what will happen at the birth of her baby.

She has been left alarmed at the possibility of being turned away from The Tweed Hospital if it is at full capacity and having to travel in labour to the Gold Coast Hospital or Logan Hospital, or turn around and head south to Lismore. Ms Hepburn said her first baby, delivered two years ago, required an emergency caesarean – making this pregnancy “high risk”.

With the downgrade of Murwillumbah maternity services, she will consequently be required to travel to The Tweed Hospital.

“This now leaves me with the fear of travelling further while in labour and the situation where Tweed is at full capacity or on bypass,” Ms Hepburn said.

“The birth of a baby should be full of excitement and anticipation, not fear and uncertainty of where a birth will take place.”

Ms Hepburn said she understood the birth of a baby could take “unexpected turns” but felt a mum-to-be should be able to go to “a place where you feel comfortable, unrushed and seen as a person – not a number on a birthing process line”.

“I know I’m not the only expecting mother who is being made to go to an often over-crowded Tweed Hospital, who keeps her fingers crossed that there will be a bed to deliver their baby in,” she said.

Like many mums she says she is hoping she will not be “made to go to the Gold Coast Hospital or further”.

Source

1.27pm Saturday 10 July 2010

Bellingen rallies again

Dear BHAG and friends,

On Saturday July 24th, Ridley Scott renown Director of films such as "Blade Runner," "Alien", "Gladiator" and "Robin Hood)" is asking people around the world to film something in the day of their lives. In the light of our current situation with the Hospital's future still uncertain, and a federal election looming.. it feels as though this is a good opportunity for us to gather together with the people of Bellingen and surrounding areas, to demonstrate its unique spirit and unwavering support for our Hospital, to be placed on Youtube with the possability of making it into a feature film which will subsequently be made of that day.

The theme is that "People Matter".... that our health system is about people, not numbers, and that community consultation is imperative.. that whichever government takes the reins, this fact of involvement with doctors, nurses, practitioners, clinicians and patients needs to be embraced rather than ignored or passed over, as has been the case for so long.

It is intended that the meeting begin at 12 noon.. if people could arrive earlier, well and good.. Speakers have been invited; politicians and doctors..to be followed by a march up the street with placards and visual displays that represent us as a vibrant, spirited, caring community who are not prepared to lie down and accept being ridden over roughshod by bureocrats and systems that barely manage to use the words "patient care" in their overbearing, complex declarations of how our health system should be run.

Our theme I think reflects a wider view that is present in the world, that being about values, and the rights of people to be listened to by governments, and treated with respect, dignity and professionalism. much of what we take for granted here in Bellingen is missing in many parts of the world. Here we have the privilege of a caring community with facilities and assistance that are generally accessible, a large part of which can be attributed to the existence of our unique and wonderful Hospital .. However, the loss of our Hospital services and the demoralizing of medical people- nurses, doctors and related areas reflects a wider problem that is affecting our community, that of de-humanization, and lack of care. While we have still a beautiful, unique, varied and vibrant population let us stand up for that Spirit for ourselves, our Hospital, and for people and Communities everywhere, and insist that we, the people matter, and need to be listened to.

So the invitation is there for everyone to attend Maam Gaduying (Council) Park at 12 Noon until about One O'clock to stand up for our Hospital, and the rights of individuals and communities everwhere..

Please make a placard, and get your children and teenagers to dress wild.

You never know, we might make it into a feature film..

For any information, email me or ring 66550511.

5.17pm Friday 25 June 2010 - ABC

Hospital without doctor for a week

The community of Nyngan is central western New South Wales has been without a doctor at the local hospital for one week.

A visiting medical officer failed to turn up to fill in for the general practitioner who was on leave last week.

Mayor of the Bogan Shire Ray Donald says emergency doctors should be on stand-by in these situations.

5.15pm Friday 25 June 2010 – ABC - Marlina Whop and Paul Robinson

Rally in Emerald, Qld. to save hospital maternity ward

About 200 women have held a rally in central Queensland to vent frustration over maternity services at the Emerald Hospital. They gathered in the Emerald Town Hall.

Many of them were several months pregnant and held placards reading "Save Our Maternity Ward".

They say it is an anxious wait to see if the Emerald Hospital can find another locum doctor when the current specialist takes leave soon.

5.42pm Tuesday 15 June 2010 - Forbes Advocate - Blake Nicholson

Funds for hospital planning

One hundred and fifty thousand dollars has been announced to continue the planning of health services in Parkes and Forbes.

The redevelopment of Forbes Hospital has been promised since 2004 but funds for the project were again left out of Tuesday’s State Budget.

Wednesday’s announcement of funds to continue planning has been derided as a token gesture by the National Party, however the NSW Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt said the Government is committed to upgrading health services in our area.

5.08pm Monday 14 June 2010

Wauchope District Memorial Hospital Action Group Joins NSW Rural Health Alliance

Hi Please add Wauchope District Memorial Hospital Action Group to your list of regional hospitals/groups whose communities fear for the future of their health facility.

Cheers Julei Muller

5.01pm Sunday13 June 2010 - Border Mail - Brad Worrall

NSW Government using Border hospital merger to pass buck on waiting lists

The NSW Government has turned its back on Albury Hospital, denying it funding to reduce its 900-plus waiting list and insisting it is Victoria’s responsibility.

Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt’s snub has left the head of Albury Wodonga Health perplexed and fuelled fears the hospital will be overlooked for future funding.

It raises more doubts about state and federal commitment to the merged health service after the Border’s bid for a regional cancer centre was rejected in April.

Editor: Like border towns throughout NSW we at Pambula fear that this discriminatory policy will impact on our neighbours to our south. Hundreds of residents from the Victorian border to Mallacoota rely on services that were provided at Pambula prior to service reductions imposed by GSAHS in 2008.

Several recent references to Bellingen Hospital appear on the "Local News" page because of their direct relevance to the Pambula Hospital situation.

7.35pm Monday 07 June 2010 - South Coast Register - Lucy Robertson

Deadly Delays - Local surgeons accuse health service of putting lives at risk to fudge waiting lists

Explosive claims that NSW Area Health administrators are endangering lives to maintain public waiting list figures have put hospital waiting lists in the Shoalhaven under the microscope.

The claims came to light after a local woman had her urgent gall bladder surgery scheduled for April 2011 against her surgeon’s advice, despite repeated claims from the South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service (SESIAHS) that 100 per cent of such patients were seen within the prescribed 30-day time limit.

2.56pm Tuesday 01 June 2010 - ABC News

Health group fights to keep Bellingen services

An action group has attacked plans to further downgrade Bellingen's health services.

The Bellingen Health Action Group says the Clinical Taskforce Review has recommended accident and emergency services at Bellinger River District Hospital be closed from 11:00pm (AEST) until 7:00am.

Group chairwoman Pia Dollman says if that happens, people's lives will be put in danger during night-time hours.

She says the hospital also needs other core services maintained or reinstated.

"Most importantly, we would like to maintain our 24 hour, seven-day-per-week accident and emergency services," she said.

"But also we would like to keep our acute bed services, our surgical services and we would like to reinstate the maternity service that we used to have.

"We would like to reinstate our on-call service for X-ray as well."

North Coast Area Health chief executive Chris Crawford says there has been no decision about the future of services at the Bellingen Hospital.
But he says accident and emergency services are unlikely to be cut.

"As far as the emergency department at night is concerned, it's most likely that the emergency department will continue to deliver services at night," he said.

"That's what you expect from an all-round emergency department and certainly that's what's been continuing over the past many months."

Source

1.02pm Tuesday 1 June 2010

Bellingen community assured their hospital will not close.

The following is an extract from a recent letter to Minister Tebbutt from Pia Dollmann on behalf of the Bellingen Health Action Group.

Dear Minister Tebbutt

Re: Bellinger River District Hospital (BRDH) - your response to the Bellingen Delegation representations via MP Andrew Stoner, dated 28 April 2010

Thank you for your detailed response and for your assurance that Bellingen Hospital will not be closed. We would, however, like to express our deepest disappointment that data errors we have pointed out to you on several occasions are still being repeated and that our concerns do not appear to have been taken fully into consideration.

Read the entire letter and attachment

12.43am Wednesday 26 May 2010 - Bellingen Courier

No plans CURRENTLY to downgrade hospital

The North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) has again moved to reassure the Bellingen shire community that it has no plans CURRENTLY to downgrade the Bellinger River District Hospital.

In response to questions from the Courier-Sun, a spokesperson for NCAHS said: “There are currently no plans to downgrade services at BRDH including the hospital's maternity services”.

Editor: NCAHS will probably starve the hospital of resources then, in a few months, claim that it is no longer a viable entity.

10.09pm Sunday 23 May 2010 - essentialbaby.com.au - Julie Robotham Medical Editor

Hospital closure leaves woman screaming

A first-time mother endured a traumatic ambulance transfer after Katoomba Hospital, where she was booked to have her baby, failed to warn her of the imminent closure of its birth unit during a conversation only hours before she went into labour.

NSW Health has confirmed the Blue Mountains unit has been shut on more than a quarter of all days this year.

But despite the frequency of the closures, the hospital has adopted a policy of not advising women - even those in late pregnancy.

Belle Buttrose, whose baby was already a week overdue, spoke on April 20 to a Katoomba midwife, who told her she could give birth "at any time". But at 5am the next day when she phoned the hospital because she was in labour, she was told the unit was closing and she should go to Nepean Hospital instead.

Only after she and her husband Larry insisted she be examined at Katoomba, where a doctor realised she would soon give birth, was it decided to send her by ambulance.

"I remember being held into the stretcher with the ambulance officer holding my head and the midwife holding my leg down, and me screaming my head off," Ms Buttrose said.

She delivered a daughter soon after arriving at Nepean. She is furious the closure was not revealed, denying her the chance to make other plans and avoid the agonising 45-minute journey.

The Katoomba unit, where 199 babies have been born in 12 months, closed last July but reopened in September after community pressure.

Since then it has been plagued with shutdowns and two babies were born in ambulances after Katoomba could not accept them. A spokeswoman for Sydney West Area Health Service said the unit had been closed 36 times this year, mostly for 24 hours.

She said community consultation after last year's closure revealed that women "would rather have a service, albeit one that has to be closed some of the time".

She said some women would be "needlessly distressed" if the hospital routinely contacted them about closures, which usually occurred because there was no anaesthetist. Attempts to fill rosters continued until 4.30pm, so the unit could open despite planned closures. But if a woman asked about the unit's status the next day, she would be told.

Amy Bell, convenor of the Blue Mountains branch of advocacy group Maternity Coalition, said the unit was shut so often women were seeking care elsewhere and she believed the Government was closing it by stealth. "The hospital's not doing anything to promote itself," she said. "It makes the statistics look like no one wants to go there."

The shadow health minister, Jillian Skinner, said not informing women was "cruel" and the Government had not tried seriously to attract doctors.

Source

2.13pm Saturday 22 May - finda.com.au - Graeme Singleton

Fight to save Bellingen hospital

Despite plenty of promises and assurances from politicians, the Bellingen community has vowed to continue campaigning against any moves to downgrade or close their hospital.

Around 600 people rallied in Maam Gaduying on Saturday as part of International Nurses Day celebrations and in a major show of support for the Bellinger River District Hospital.

They later carried their protest through the streets of the town, sending a strong message to health bureaucrats about any attempts on their part to downgrade services.

While sitting and aspiring local members of parliament gave guarantees the facility would remain open, it was the passionate speeches of health professionals attached to the hospital which aroused the strongest applause.

Jo Keough from the NSW Nurses Union told the gathering the current trial amalgamation with the Macksville Hospital had been delivered by stealth and resulted in the loss of senior management and Bellingen’s director of nursing.

“Somehow in this country health has become a luxury item and that is an absolute disgrace,” Ms Keough said.

“Make no mistake, we have a fight on our hands here.

“You can’t grow a community without a vibrant health service but I fear that the gradual degradation of services we have already experienced will continue unless we fight it tooth and nail.”

The head of the hospital’s medical staff council, Dr Deidre Little, accused the Health Minister, Carmel Tebbett, of by default supporting the closure of acute care beds, midwifery and overnight accident and emergency services by continuing to support the management of the North Coast Area Health Service.

“What we say to Carmel Tebbett and what we say to the area health service is what you are doing is badly done,” Dr Little said. “Life-threatening events are rare and random and so we must keep the overnight accident and emergency service in place.

“If the service is axed and these people have to instead go to Coffs Harbour, I am worried that some won’t make it.”

Dr Andrew Cheney said the Coffs Harbour hospital was already overwhelmed so any cuts at Bellingen would have a major impact on its already strained services.

“Our hospital is cheap to run, it has a great safety record but is underutilised,” Dr Cheney said.

Source

3.25pm Wednesday 12 MAY 2010 - heal-saveourhospital

Hands Off Katoomba Hospital!

Welcome to the blogspot of HEAL, the Hospital Equity & Access Lobby in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney. This page exists to give our community access to information and updates regarding the delivery of services at Blue Mountains District ANZAC Memorial Hospital. Sadly, in recent years our hospital has reduced the range of basic, primary health care services it provides to Mountains residents. We need to keep our hospital functioning and your support is vital.

8.55pm Wednesday 14 April 2010 - Coffs Coast Advocate - Graeme Singleton

Concerns for hospital's future

There are fresh concerns about the future of the Bellinger River District Hospital as a standalone full service facility.

At a recent Bellingen Health Action Group (BHAG) meeting, a NSW Nurses Association representative said the hospital had been virtually amalgamated with the Macksville Hospital.

BHAG chair Pia Dollmann said the Nurses Association had lodged a complaint with the Industrial Commission about the shared management of the two hospitals.

“The amalgamation of the two hospitals took place early this year without consultation with hospital staff and was a surprise fait accompli with the announcement of the acceptance of redundancy by Bellingen Hospital Manager Vince Caroll,” Ms Dollmann said.

“Mr Carroll’s workload was around 60 hours a week, acting in two positions for two hospitals, as the Executive Officer and Director of Nursing for Bellingen and Dorrigo.

8.53pm Wednesday 14 April 2010 - Mudgee Guardian

Pathology staff shortages put lives at risk, says Turner

Staff shortages in the region’s pathology services are putting the lives of patients in Mudgee and the surrounding district at risk, Nationals Member for Orange Russell Turner said yesterday.

“The lives of patients in the Mid-Western Area are being put at risk if there are not enough pathologists in Mudgee to carry out diagnostic tests,” he said.

“How will doctors know what treatment a patient requires if no one is available to do blood tests?

8.40pm Wednesday 14 April 2010 - Bellingen Courier

Managing two hospitals - mission impossible?

The newly elected committee of Bellinger Health Action Group held its first meeting last week and discussed amongst other things the fact that

Macksville and Bellingen hospitals are being managed by one person on a trial basis to the end of June 2010, following strong protests from the NSW Nurses Association.

The amalgamation of the two positions for the two hospitals took place early this year without consultation with hospital staff and was a surprise fait-a-complit with the announcement of Bellingen Hospital Manager Vince Carroll’s acceptance of voluntary redundancy.

This leaves only two hospitals in the area health service under single hospital management – Kempsey and Urbenville.

8.20am Thursday 08 April 2010 – NSW Nurses Assn

Locals Turn Out For Mountains Nurses

Nurses demonstration outside Blue Mountains Hospital.

Local businesses strongly supported the NSWNA demonstration outside Blue Mountains Hospital, lending trucks and buses decorated with nurses' posters and putting on a sausage sizzle so nurses attending the rally would not miss out on lunch.

NSWNA Branch President Barbara Monley RN said more than 100 people – at least half of them nurses – turned out for the Katoomba rally.

‘We were very pleased with the level of support, particularly from local businesses, which reflects community concern about our hospital,’ said Barbara.

7.20pm Tuesday 09 March 2010 - Coffs Coast Advocate - Graeme Singleton

Delegates fight for hospital

Belingen residents have returned from a meeting of the NSW Rural Health Alliance in Kempsey as determined as ever to continue fighting for the future of their hospital.

A spokesperson for the Bellingen Health Action Group (BHAG), Pia Dollmann, said the meeting drew people from the Macleay and Hastings as well as the Bellinger Valley.

“The focus was clearly on under funding of rural health services and over-done health bureaucracies in New South Wales,” Ms Dollman said.

She said the guest speaker, actor Frankie J Holden who is involved in the campaign to save the Pambula Hospital, praised the Rudd Government’s concept of local hospital boards.

Ms Dollmann said he also rallied the 125 people at the meeting to stay focused and be proactive.

“Get engaged and get others engaged as well,” Mr Holden said.

“Talk to your local community and business people and get ready to form good local hospital boards. Build hospital action groups, raise funds and become members of the NSW Rural Health Alliance.

“Don’t expect the alliance to speak with one voice as our needs will be different, but enable it to speak as one body.”

Ms Dollman said the host of the meeting, Kempsey Mayor, Councillor John Bowell, said he will take the issue to the next meeting of the Australian Council of Local Governments.

Bellingen resident Caroline Joseph said many at the meeting stated they were frightened for the future of small rural hospitals. She said a very salient reminder of the need to retain small rural hospitals came when the delegation’s bus passed the scene of a fatal accident near Frederickton.

“I could see all these amazing people working together as one,” Ms Joseph said.

“It’s the same as a small hospital where doctors and nurses by necessity and desire work closely together. We must resist any erosion to their resources which will undermine their ability to work together.”

BUDGET WOES

A recurring theme at the Rural Health Alliance meeting in Kempsey was the recent rise of the health bureaucracy.

Frankie J Holden said too much of the health budget was being consumed by academics and bureaucrats.

In 2007-08 NSW Health had 94,157 employees of which 72.6 per cent were nurses, doctors and health professionals.

More than one in four staff or 25,800 were employed in administrative, management or bureaucratic roles.

Source

8.55pm Tuesday 02 March 2010 – Bellingen Courier – Greg McLagan

‘Fruitful & positive’ talks

Deputy Premier and Health Minister, Carmel Tebbutt described a meeting on the future of Bellingen Hospital as “fruitful and positive“.

The Minister met a deputation from Bellingen Council and the Hospital Action Group in her office for 35 minutes last Wednesday (January 27).

While Ms Tebbutt gave no assurances, a spokesman said: “It was a fruitful and positive meeting. A range of matters relating to the hospital were discussed and community members had the opportunity to express their views to the Minister”.
“Discussions with community members are important and the Minister supports ongoing dialogue in the future.”

"The Minister expressed concern over the lack of community consultation in the process of planning the future of Bellinger River District Hospital. We will just have to wait to see how her commitment to address this issue translates into action to be taken by the North Coast Area Health Alliance,” she said.

Meanwhile, rural communities from across New South Wales concerned about health services are gathering under the banner of the NSW Health Alliance.

Mayor John Bowell of Kempsey Shire Council will host a meeting to be chaired by Frankie J Holden at the Kempsey RSL on Sunday, March 7 at 2pm.

5.39pm Friday 26 February 2010 – ABC News

Forum to air health funding woes

The need for better public health funding and infrastructure for the New South Wales north coast will be the focus of a public meeting next month.

The meeting will be held on March 7 at the Kempsey Macleay RSL Club.

Mayor John Bowell has helped arrange the forum.

He says it will be a good opportunity to discuss problems at the region's public hospitals and ways to lobby the State Government for funding.

"The fact is what we need to do is make them understand that while they are talking about all these millions of dollars spent on transport matters in Sydney, maybe there should be more consideration given to the hospital system in NSW, particularly country NSW," he said.

He says extra funding is urgently needed and it will be a good opportunity to discuss public health funding and infrastructure issues on the mid-north coast.

"We've been looking at and asking for a review of the resource distribution formula which the State Government relies on, and what is important in that is that the hospitals within the North Coast Area Health Service are underfunded to the tune of 7.6 per cent or $80 odd million a year," he said.

Source

5.29pm Friday 26 February 2010 – ABC News

Paramedics volunteer plan draws backlash

An Upper Hunter community has rejected a New South Wales Ambulance Service proposal to use volunteers to help single officers.

5.19pm Friday 26 February 2010 – ABC News

Wanaaring secures full-time nurse

A full-time nurse has been recruited for the small community of Wanaaring which has been without a permanent practitioner since last June.

5.09pm Friday 26 February 2010 – ABC News

Public urged to fight bushland sale.

An environmental group in Orange is vowing to fight the sell-off of a 10 hectare parcel of bushland behind the city's new base hospital.

Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Orange (ECCO) has unveiled a public awareness campaign to urge the community to oppose the sale of the bushland.

ECCO chairman Neil Jones says the group has had confirmation a consultant is investigating the commercial potential of the site, under the Health Department's asset realisation plan.

Editor: This sounds rearkably like the proposed land sale issue at Tumut - see Tumut.

1.02pm Friday 26 February 2010 - Macleay Argus

Frankie to rock in for hospital meeting

Musician, actor and health advocate Franke J Holden will facilitate a meeting of concerned Mid North Coast residents worried about the region’s health services.

Delegates from Wauchope and Bellingen have already confirmed they will be attending the meeting, which is open to anyone with a concern about the state of the NSW health system.

“I received a call from Caroline Joseph of Bellingen Hospital Action Group and shortly after another from Julie Muller at Wauchope, where they are also having issues with their hospital,” Kempsey mayor John Bowell said.

“They suggested we get together and put on a united front in regard to the provision of health services in the region.

“Following on from that, I got a call from Frankie J Holden, who was an advocate for health issues in his hometown of Pambula.

“He offered to come up and address some of the issues. His father lives in Port Macquarie, so there’s a personal interest as well.”

Mr Holden said he had a strong desire to assist rural communities in their fight to retain adequate health services.

“My interest in this issue may have begun where I live, but as I got more involved, I realised the extent of the problem,” he said.

“I urge every voter to come to this rally and let your voice be heard. And to hear what we can do about it.”

The meeting will be held at the Kempsey-Macleay RSL Club next Sunday, March 7 from 2pm.

Source

8.34am Thursday 25 February 2010 - Northern Star - Melissa Gulbin

Street rally to fight cancer

She may have beaten breast cancer but Robyn Sparks’ fight to reinstate two mobile BreastScreen vans has only just begun.

Rallies in Ballina and Byron Bay will kick off at noon today to protest at the North Coast Area Health decision to replace two mobile vans with fixed screening sites in Lismore and Tweed Heads in late 2008.

Ms Sparks, facilitator of Ballina Breast Cancer Support Group – whose cancer was detected early – considers herself lucky.

“Fewer vans mean fewer women detected early,” the Ballina resident said.

A lack of adequate public transport into Lismore meant the fixed screening units were ‘not accessible to all women’, she added.

8.24am Thursday 25 February 2010 - Coffs Coast Advocate - Graeme Singleton

High hopes for Bellinger hospital

Expectations are high for a positive outcome from talks in Sydney this morning about the future of the Bellinger River District Hospital.

The member for Oxley, Andrew Stoner, is leading a delegation that includes the Bellingen mayor Councillor Mark Troy, his deputy Cr Kerry Child, council general manager, Mike Colreavy and Bellingen Health Action group member Jacki Lockyer for what his said will be a ‘frank and open discussion’ with the NSW Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt and senior health bureaucrats.

“We will present a very compelling case to the minister for the retention of all current services at the hospital and the re-instatement of those jobs that have been lost,” Mr Stoner said.

“Part of our strategy will be to tell Mrs Tebbutt that information being given to her by the consultant engaged by the Area Health Service is wrong.

8.04am Thursday 25 February 2010 - Coffs Coast Advocate - Graeme Singleton

Bellingen Hospital is safe for now

The NSW Minister for Health, Carmel Tebbutt, has given no assurances in writing but the delegation that met with her yesterday to discuss the situation at Bellingen Hospital has arrived home with renewed confidence about its future.

Local delegates to yesterday’s 35-minute meeting in Parliament House with Ms Tebbutt and her chief-of-staff were unanimous in their appreciation of the minister’s efforts to be well informed about the central issues.

The Bellingen mayor said he believed the trip to Macquarie Street was worthwhile and that the delegation got a good hearing.

“I wasn’t expecting the minister to give us a cheque on the spot but it was reassuring that she seemed to understand the basis of our concerns,” Cr Troy said.

He said while the minister didn’t give any iron-clad guarantees, she did concede she needed to look “even further” into the situation facing the Bellingen Hospital.

“The minister acknowledged the need to revisit the data supplied by the clinical taskforce and she offered to follow up the decline in maternity services at the hospital,” added Cr Troy.

Bellingen Shire Council GM Mike Colreavy said Ms Tebbutt, who is also the Deputy Premier, also gave assurances she would have her staff investigate the delgation’s fears about threats to the 24-hour accident and emergency service, the retention of acute care beds and the deteriorating state of infrastructure at the hospital.

Bellingen Health Action Group member Jacki Lockyer said the visit to Sydney was more than valuable because it allowed the group to clarify any misunderstandings and misconceptions.

“The minister seemed genuinely interested in Bellingen’s preventative medicine model. She was not aware of it so it was great to be able to tell her about it,” Ms Lockyer said.

But all agreed it was the minister’s undertaking to improve the lines of communication between the community and the North Coast Area Health Service was the meeting’s most significant achievement.

“She was surprised that there had been zero input from the community and that the Area Health Service had not engaged in consultation about changes at the hospital,” Mr Colreavy said.

“I’m sure in the next few months the minister will make an announcement about the need for more meaningful community consultation about the future needs of the community and the hospital, and its place in the regional hospital system,” Cr Troy said.

However in a statement late yesterday, a spokesperson for the minister made no mention of the undertaking to direct the North Coast Area Health Service to engage in consultation with residents of the Bellingen Shire.

“Discussions with community members are important and the minister supports ongoing dialogue in the future,” was as far as the statement went.

Source

Editor: Don't hold your breath waiting. We in Pambula got the same response from John Della Bosca when we asked the same questions.

The process is remarkably similar to one experienced by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain who returned to London in 1938 after signing the Munich Aggrenment. "My good friends, this is the second time in our history that there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds."

3.20pm Wednesday 24 February 2010 - ABC News

Wife 'distraught' over emergency dept delay

A Riverina woman whose husband had a long and painful wait in a hospital emergency department says she wants an assurance it will not happen again.

Lyn Brown says she took her husband Bill to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital on Sunday after he hurt his back in a fall at Uranquinty, leaving him in severe pain while standing and unable to sit.

She says no bed or stretcher was available and after waiting for more than an hour, they gave up.

Ms Brown says other patients helped Mr Brown to their car and she drove to a relative's house before calling for help.

"I rang the ambulance and they came and I told them what happened and I was very, very upset and distraught about it and they just shook their heads. The loveliest two young gentlemen ever. They were just so good and caring," she said.

"I just hope this never happens to anyone else again, particularly when they're in such severe pain as what my husband was in and I would just like the medical people to get their act together."

In a statement, the Greater Southern Area Health Service says Wagga Base Hospital had an exceptionally busy weekend.

The central sector general manager, Jill Ludford, says the service has contacted the family to extend its sincere apologies to Mr Brown about his care and treatment.

Ms Ludford says she is concerned about the delay Mr Brown had trying to access a bed and regrets any distress caused.

She says the emergency department will work to improve options for people who are in pain while waiting for treatment.

Editor: Apart from saying this, what will GSAHS or Jill Ludford do to help the emergency department of Wagga Base Hospital "improve options" and overcome difficulties experienced during future "exceptionally busy weekends"?

10.24pm Tuesday 23 February 2010 - Cowra Community News

Locum doctors’ salaries hurting small hospitals, says Mayor of Nyngan

The large salaries paid to locum doctors is putting small regional hospitals at a disadvantage, says Mayor of Bogan Shire, Ray Donald.

Nyngan Hospital has struggled to replace its only visiting medical officer (VMO) who is on leave, despite offering a daily salary of $1200 plus travelling and accommodation.

The hospital has secured a locum for this week after being without a doctor for the past fortnight, regional radio reports.

Cr Donald is calling for doctors’ pay to be capped to ensure rural facilities can compete with their city counterparts.

“One of the things council believes should be investigated in relation to this is the actual fee that is paid to locums, it seems exorbitantly high if it can range from a thousand up to two thousand dollars a day plus travelling and accommodation and smaller rural hospitals at the moment have to compete with the state-wide situation for locums,” he says.

Councillor Donald says rural facilities cannot afford to pay what city hospitals can.

“Smaller rural hospitals at the moment have to compete with a state-wide situation for locums, and we feel that some cap is needed on what can be charged so that the most important aspect of this is that locums are available at hospitals when they're needed in rural centres and . . . their attendance isn’t just determined by whose offering the most money,” he says.

“Council raised very strong objections and represented our community’s concern direct to the Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS) CEO and via the media about not having a doctor present at our hospital for the period of time (visiting medical officer) Dr Chan was on leave.

“This situation can be likened to turning up at a bushfire in a tanker without water, or having a town on a riverbank with no flood levee,” Cr Donald writes in the Nyngan Observer newspaper.

9.08am Monday 23 February 2010 - SMH - Natasha Wallace

Cuts bleed Bellingen hospital: doctors

BELLINGEN hospital does not do after-hours operations, offers no antenatal care, has no sterilisation equipment and, most recently, no after-hours radiology service. Now locals are concerned they are about to lose overnight emergency care.

Doctors and residents have dubbed a string of administrative decisions over the past few years ''death by a thousand cuts'' and are fearful the North Coast Area Heath Service has gradually run down services at the 34-bed Bellingen River District Hospital with a view to closing it.

Doctors will meet the State Health Minister, Carmel Tebbutt, tomorrow to demand a halt to cuts which have affected emergency, day surgery, maternity and acute care services.

Jaki Lockyer, a spokeswoman for the Bellingen Health Action Group, said over the past year day surgery had been reduced to half of its previous capacity. Surgeons have to bring enough medical equipment to do several procedures or use more expensive disposable equipment because there is no sterilisation equipment.

''All of the services are under attack. If not already experiencing severe reduction, they are threatened … it's really frightening,'' she said.

She said the area health service had recently flagged the closure of overnight emergency services.

''Our concern is that it is imminent … this is where lives will be at more risk.''

The chairwoman of the Medical Staff Council, Deirdre Little, called the situation ''death by a thousand cuts''.
Dr Little said Coffs Harbour hospital, which is about 40 minutes away, was already struggling to see emergency patients on time, had long waiting lists for elective surgery and could not cope with the excess patient load.

Since maternity services were cut at Bellingen - there was just one birth there last year and no antenatal care despite 125 pregnancies in the area - women had to travel long distances in labour.

A week ago Rosemary Mackney drove herself 40 minutes to Coffs Harbour hospital for an antenatal check-up, where she was told she was in labour.

''It was a real stress … I was really freaking out that I'd be stuck in a vehicle on my way to give birth,'' Ms Mackney said.

Dr Little said the area health service did a patient activity audit for 2007-2008 which had several errors but it had not released a corrected version. Doctors were concerned the data might be used to justify a further erosion of services.

A spokesman for the area health service said it had ''no plans to close the Bellingen River District Hospital'', and it had ''made no decision to partly close'' the emergency department. A copy of the correct patient profile had been sent to Dr Little last Friday.

Source

9.34am Monday 22 February 2010 - email

Blue Mountains Community joins NSW Rural Health Alliance

"We have reviewed your NSW Rural Health Alliance website and would be happy to join up and provide information on our hospital struggle here in the Blue Mountains.

Let's keep in touch via email or please feel free to phone me at anytime."

6.03pm Saturday 20 February 2010 - Coffs Coast Advocate - Graeme Singleton

Minister to get hospital message

The State Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt will be left in now doubt about the Bellingen community’s support for its district hospital after a meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Bellingen Mayor, Councillor Mark Troy, said he will impress upon the minister that the community will not tolerate any further downgrading of the hospital.

“At the minimum what I would like to come from the meeting is a commitment by the minister, her department and the Area Health Service for meaningful consultation with the community in regards to the future of the Bellingen Hospital,” Cr Troy said.

The mayor will be joined by his deputy, Cr Kerry Child, council general manager Mike Colreavy, Bellingen Health Action Group member Jaki Lockyer and the Member for Oxley, Andrew Stoner, for Wednesday morning’s meeting.

Jaki Lockyer is also hoping the minister will give unequivocal assurances that in the future Bellinger Valley residents won’t have to drive to Coffs Harbour for hospital services.

“With many residents living much further than the quoted 30 minutes’ drive from Coffs Harbour Base, it is important for Bellingen Shire to maintain this facility,” Ms Lockyer said.

The Coffs Coast Advocate will report on the outcomes from Wednesday’s meeting in Thursday’s edition.

Source

9.08am Saturday 20 February 2010 - heal-saveourhospital - posted 19 February

Yes Minister! - Blue Mountains community says it again!

Carmel Tebbutt, the NSW Minister for Health, penned an article for yesterday's SMH attacking Tony Abbott's local Health Boards proposal.

I was pleased to see the article from the Minster for two reasons.

Firstly, it confirms the existence of the Minister. I had started to wonder because she has never responded to a single piece of correspondence from HEAL.

And secondly, she shares HEAL's view on healthcare! Perhaps she has been reading our correspondence after all.

For instance, the Minster states:

"We must focus on providing patients with the right care, in the most appropriate setting and in cost-effective ways. The system should be easy to navigate and equitable".

She goes on to say that:

"We must also better distribute health professionals so people can get treatment irrespective of where they live".

That's right Carmel - equitable healthcare, people receiving treatment irrespective of where they live and care in the most appropriate setting. That resonates for HEAL, so what exactly are you doing about BMDAMH? Why do service levels continue to decline and why do you fail to respond to taxpayers about this matter?

To read the full article go to our Media section. The Minister's article is entitled "Health fix needs a lot more than local boards".

Source

9.08am Saturday 20 February 2010 - Coffs Coast Independent - posted 19 Feb, 2010 12:38 PM

Chiropractic solution to stressed Coffs hospital

NSW chiropractors have offered to help improve the performance of Coffs Harbour Base Hospital’s emergency department through a proposed new health care model, to be outlined next week.

The Chiropractors’ Association of Australia (NSW) (CAANSW) will discuss a ground-breaking plan to integrate chiropractic services into NSW Public Hospitals.

The proposal, to be outlined at a seminar in Coffs Harbour on Friday, February 26, promises to cut queues, improve clinical outcomes, increase access to health services and reduce overall health care costs.

7.38pm Sunday 14 Febuary 2010 – Bellingen Shire Council

Council To Take Hospital Concerns to Health Minister

Bellingen Shire Council’s February Council Meeting has been put back a day to enable a Council deputation to meet NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Health, Carmel Tebbutt to convey concerns about service reductions at the Bellinger River District Hospital at Bellingen. Mayor – Cr Mark Troy, Deputy Mayor – Cr Kerry Child and General Manager Mike Colreavy will be meeting the Minister in Sydney on 24 February along with local Member of Parliament, Andrew Stoner. The Council has agreed to include Bellingen Hospital Action Group representative, Jaki Lockyer, in the delegation.

7.15pm Sunday 14 February 2010 – ABC News

Health Minister urged to probe patient's treatment

Port Stephens' MP Craig Baumann says if allegations about the treatment of an elderly woman at the Tomaree Community Hospital are true, it is just another sign of the hospital's underfunding.

4.04pm Saturday 13 February 2010 – Ballina Advocate – Peter Weekes

$100,000 for NCAHS spin doctor

North Coast Area Health will employ a public relations person on a six-figure salary to rebuild its image in the community as it continues to slash 400 positions from hospitals across the region.

The full-time position of a Caring Together Liaison Officer, which is advertised on the health services internal intranet site, offers the successful candidate between $88,048 and $100,375 annually.

2.51pm Friday 12 February 2010 – Northern Star - Rebecca Lollback

Ballina Hospital needs own ‘head’

Ballina Hospital needs its own executive officer, mayor Phillip Silver has told NSW Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt.

At a meeting with the Minister last week, Cr Silver said that Ballina Hospital should not be forced to share the fundamental position with Lismore Base Hospital.

2.41pm Friday 12 February 2010 – Daily Liberal

No need, demand for Dubbo to have abortion services

Deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt has reiterated claims by Greater Western that Dubbo does not warrant abortion services because of low demand for the procedure.

“The minister has been advised that demand for termination services in Dubbo has not been high,” a spokesperson for Ms Tebbutt said.

2.31pm Friday 12 February 2010 – SMH – Kate Benson

From possums to puddles: nurse hurt in fall at troubled hospital

A SENIOR nurse was undergoing emergency surgery last night after slipping in a puddle caused by a leaking vent at the decaying Hornsby hospital.

Her fall came two months after orders were given to hide the crumbling, water-damaged ceiling by painting over it.

Last year angry doctors called the rundown hospital ''offensive and mediaeval'', and complained of possum urine on the walls, dangerous cables across floors, and ceilings collapsing from rain damage.

2.21pm Friday 12 February 2010 – News Yahoo

Hospital injury: Authorities admit renovation urgent

The head of northern Sydney's Hornsby hospital has admitted it is in dire need of renovation, following revelations of possum infestations, fire risks in theatres, cramped wards, leaking roofs and now the injury of a senior nurse.

The nurse broke her arm when she slipped in a puddle caused by water coming in through air-conditioning vents.

The Medical Staff Council has been demanding renovations for some time. It is being backed by the New South Wales Opposition's health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner, who says the hospital conditions are "medieval".

2.11pm Friday 12 February 2010 Hornsby Advocate

Patients may die if hospital not fixed

A patient may have to die before the NSW government addresses issues at Hornsby Hospital, following revelations of a string of problems at the decaying facility, the state opposition says.

Early this week, a senior nurse underwent emergency surgey after slipping in a puddle caused by a leaking vent at the hospital.

This follows allegations last year that patients were subjected to slum-like conditions at the hospital, with holes in floors, fire risks in theatres and possum infestations.

2.00pm Friday 12 February 2010 – Jillian Skinner

Hornsby Hospital Abandoned By Labor: It’s Time To Start The Change To Better Care

Labor’s wholesale abandoning of patients and staff at Hornsby Hospital proves it’s time to start the change to better healthcare under a NSW Liberals & Nationals Government, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.

“The NSW Liberals & Nationals have positive plans to fix the health system in this state: it’s time to start the change for better healthcare,” Mrs Skinner said.

“This latest incident is proof positive that hapless and inexperienced Labor Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt simply doesn’t care about patients and staff at Hornsby Hospital,” she said

2.00pm Friday 12 February 2010 - Macleay Argus

Nurses take fight to Sydney

Kempsey nurses are set to take their fight for extra Emergency Department staff to Sydney.

Nurses have sent a letter to the NSW Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt requesting a meeting to discuss the plight of Kempsey Hospital’s ED, and to deliver a petition signed by 6300 Macleay residents calling for the additional nurses.

Ms Tebbutt was invited to a street march staged by nurses in Kempsey last month, but declined.

In a letter received a day after the march, a spokesperson for Ms Tebbutt informed organisers the Minister was unable to attend.

The letter said “the Government and the Department of Health recognise the important role all categories of nurses play in the care of patients in the hospitals of NSW.

“As a health system we have an obligation to deliver safe and effective care to our patients”.

Nurses began a series of public rallies in November calling for the North Coast Area Health Service to employ an extra registered nurse per shift at Kempsey Hospital’s overburdened ED.

It followed a frustrating two-year battle with the Health Service in the industrial relations court.

Nurse organiser Di Lohmann said the Minister’s letter showed the message was still not getting through.

“In the letter the Minister acknowledges both the importance of the role of nurses and our joint obligation to deliver safe and effective care to our patients in the hospitals of NSW,” she said.

“Not only do the nurses of Kempsey Hospital hold the care and safety of our patients as our highest priority, we have been trying in vain for almost two years to alert the Health Service and more recently the Department of Health that Kempsey Hospital ED is unsafe for our patients.”

9.01am Saturday 06 February 2010 - Caroline Jospeh

Bellingen Hospital CEO position axed

The joyous news that two babies have been delivered in Bellingen this week was marred by the sudden but not surprising announcement that the incumbent has left the position of CEO of Bellingen Hospital and this position has now been abolished by the North Coast Area Health Service.

The entire management of our hospital will now happen “remotely” from Macksville. The Hospital Workers Union and the Nurses Union have registered a dispute with the North Coast Area Health Service as the loss of this position will increase the pressure already being suffered by nurses and support staff working at our hospital.

Coffs Harbour residents have good reason to feel deep concern that any loss of staff to Bellingen Hospital has an immediate effect on their already overworked and stressed Hospital staff. Ministers for Health and ALP governments at both a State and Federal level need to recognise that voters will not tolerate this cynical exercise in cost cutting.

North Coast Rural Communities have no confidence in the either the Area Health Service or the new Healthcare plan which is being revealed to us through the underhand process of “Death by a Thousand Cuts” until our hospital is closed.

The loss of the CEO at Bellingen Hospital makes a mockery of the notion of quality Healthcare and Hospital services which must be the first priority of any government entrusted with spending of our hard earned taxes. It is timely to consider that at the last election Cowper was close to becoming a marginal seat.

1.30pm Friday 05 February 2010 - SMH - Kate Benson

Hospital's helicopter cannot take off

The NSW Ambulance Service's new rescue helicopter, part of a $21 million a year contract, is not powerful enough to take off from one of the biggest hospitals in regional NSW.

The EC-145 helicopter, bought to serve the west of the state, cannot depart from the helipad at Orange Base Hospital when fully loaded because the engines are not strong enough for the vertical lift-off needed to avoid surrounding buildings.

7.59pm Wednesday 03 February 2010 - Jilian Skinner

Dubbo Doctors Dudded by Labor

The immediate future of surgery at Dubbo Base Hospital is under a cloud following a decision by seven Sydney anaesthetists to quit after being asked by the State Labor Government to take significant pay cuts, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.

The locum doctors said the hospital was already short-staffed.

Read much more

2.30pm Tuesday 02 February 2010 - Coffs Coast Advocate - Graeme Singleton

Zirkler running Bellingen hospital

The Bellingen Hospital is now being remotely run from Macksville.

The North Coast Area Health Service has confirmed that Ms Jenny Zirkler who is currently the Acting Executive officer and Director of Nursing for the Macksville District and Bellinger River District hospitals will continue in that role following the retirement of Vince Carroll.

Mr Carroll was formerly the executive officer and director of the Bellingen River District Hospital and Dorrigo Multi-Purpose Service (MPS).

News of Mr Carroll’s sudden ‘retirement’ came as a surprise late yesterday with staff at the Bellinger River District Hospital referring inquiries to the North Coast Area Health Service headquarters in Lismore.

Members of the Bellingen Hospital Action Group were also shocked when told of Mr Carroll’s departure from his position.

In a statement the Area Health Service acknowledged the service and expertise Mr Carroll has shown over the past seven years.

The service said Mr Carroll had left the position in order to take a break and spend more time with his family.

The general manager of the Coffs Clarence Network, Ms Margaret Bennett, said the change in the management structure increased the opportunity for the Macksville District and Bellinger River District Hospitals (BRDH) to work more closely together.

“The existing operational partnership that exists between BRDH and Dorrigo MPS will continue with the Dorrigo MPS nurse manager, Lynn Forsyth, reporting directly to the general manager, Coffs Clarence Network,” Ms Bennett said.

Source

2.24pm Tuesday 02 February 2010 - Tweed News - Peter Caton

Jargon makes Roy's blood boil

Retired health worker Roy Anderson was so incensed by a news report that the North Coast Area Health Service was axing 400 jobs in a bid to pay $7.4 million in bills owed to local businesses that he fired off a letter to NSW Deputy Premier and Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt.

What then made his blood really boil was the response.

Rather than have her ministerial staff reply, Ms Tebbutt forwarded the letter, which specifically complained about North Coast Area Health Service CEO Chris Crawford, to Mr Crawford.

His response was couched in his trademark health administration jargon.

“There’s no point in writing to the Minister for Health,” said Mr Anderson yesterday. “It’s just been replied to by the person in charge of the group I’m complaining about.”

Mr Anderson had been infuriated by comments Mr Crawford made in the Tweed Daily News last September that $7.4 million was owed by the area health service to local businesses because of high staffing costs.

Mr Crawford said the issue would be resolved once the service finished axing 400 jobs from North Coast hospitals.

Mr Anderson said that was just bad management and he wrote to Ms Tebbutt to say so.

“In my working life there was a period when I was employed by the largest private hospital and nursing home group,” he said in his letter. “There were times when it was a struggle to pay the bills. In that 22 years with the same company no employee was ever sacked to pay bills.”

Mr Anderson went on to question government budget priorities and argue “health should come before anything”.

He said he was disgusted that Ms Tebbutt had asked Mr Crawford to reply and that his response was “full of spin”.

2.20pm Tuesday 02 February 2010 - ABC News

Nurse shortage cancels elective surgeries

The Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS) says a shortage of nurses at the Dubbo Base Hospital is forcing elective surgeries to be cancelled.

The New South Wales Opposition says there have been cuts to surgery at the hospital because of a dispute with some of its visiting anaesthetists.

Four of the Sydney-based doctors will not be renewing their contracts because of pay cuts and three others are still in negotiations with GWAHS.

Chief executive Danny O'Connor says a lack of nurses not anaesthetists has prevented some surgeries from going ahead.

Editor: As I said yesterday, "Who needs anaesthetists?"

2.20pm Tuesday 02 February 2010 - ABC News

Hospital struggles to fill nurse posts

The Greater Western Area Health Service has confirmed it is facing a shortage of nurses at Broken Hill Hospital.

Th remote cluster general manager, Rod Wyber-Hughes, says the figures are still being worked out, but the number of places needed to be filled could be about 15.

Mr Wyber-Huges says the health service has been advertising, but it has been hard to recruit for some specialties.

"Midwifery for example is a hard specialty to recruit to," he said.

"Intensive Care trained nurses are also difficult to recruit to, but what we are trying to do is position ourselves within the network or clinical streams at the area health service and beyond, and looking at our partnerships with other larger providers like Sydney south-west and how we can exploit that."

Source

2.18pm Monday 01 February 2010 - ABC News

Dubbo: Health service offers assurances as anaesthetists quit

The Greater Western Area Health Service says surgery at the Dubbo Base Hospital will not be affected by the resignation of a group of visiting anaesthetists.

The New South Wales Opposition says seven doctors who fly in from Sydney to treat patients have quit because they were asked to take a pay cut.

Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner says surgeries have had to be reduced because the anaesthetists have not renewed their contracts.

Mrs Skinner is calling on the Government to ensure the doctors are paid enough to continue working at the Dubbo hospital.

"In the end it's the people of Dubbo who are betrayed here, these anaesthetists have been flying in to Dubbo on a regular basis, they are counted on to keep that hospital afloat and it's up to the Government to provide the resources so they can be paid and continue to provide that service," she said.

Mrs Skinner says Dubbo already has a waiting list of more than 840 people who need surgery and this will now increase.

Editor: Who needs anaesthetists anyway? It seems that Area Health Services would prefer to spend money on non-clinical employees who are good at counting how many sentinel incidents have occurred.

2.08pm Monday 01 February 2010 - ABC News

Port Macquarie: Doctor wins Nationals' Lyne preselection

A Port Macquarie-based doctor has won National party preselection for the seat of Lyne.

Lyne has been held by independent Rob Oakeshott since 2008 after the long serving Nationals' MP and minister Mark Vaile resigned.

Dr David Gillespie won Saturday's preselection vote over Taree lawyer Quentin Schneider and former Port Macquarie councillor Jamie Harrison.

The National party state director, Ben Franklin, says Dr Gillespie will fight hard to recapture Lyne.

"David Gillespie as a specialist physician knows first-hand how great the challenge is of health in the local area and in New South Wales," he said.

"We all know that the most important and pressing need for the people of Port Macquarie is the building of the fourth pod at the Port Macquarie Base Hospital.

"Both state and now the Federal Government are just passing the buck again and again and again."

8.16am Sunday 31 January - ABC News

Bellingen Hospital decisions based on flawed data: doctors' group

The Rural Doctors Association says flawed data is being used to make decisions about the Bellinger River District Hospital.

The North Coast Area Health Service is expected to give a list of recommendations for the hospital to the New South Wales Government in the next few weeks.

The association's president, Dr Ian Kamerman, says the report the health service is basing its recommendations on suggests staff are only treating acute patients and taking too long to do their job.

"My understanding is there has been an issue with the coding of patients such that the North Coast Area Health Service honestly believe that every patient admitted was an acute care patient, whereas a significant number appear to be nursing home type patients," he said.

"That tends to skew your data and you can't plan for an appropriate level of health service."
Dr Kamerman says the report indicated local doctors have their patients in hospital much longer than the state average.

"A significant number appear to be more, what are called, slow stream rehabilitation patients, so palliative care patients," he said.

"Also, we're not sure about the level of consultation that has been happening."

Source

5.43am Wednesday 20 January 2010 - SMH

Surgery waiting lists blow out: Skinner

Waiting times for surgery in public hospitals are blowing out as operating theatres close during the school holidays, the NSW opposition says.

In a case it says highlights the problem, quadriplegic Tamworth man Graham McRae has had surgery for a broken leg cancelled every day for the past week at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital.

5.55am Sunday 17 January 2010 - ABC News

Greenfell's sole doctor announces immediate leave

Greenfell is once again without a doctor, after the town's only visiting medical officer (VMO) announced he would take three months leave immediately.

The Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS) says it will act immediately to find a locum to take over duties at the Grenfell Hospital.

The Member for Burrinjuck, Katrina Hodgkinson, says Doctor Albadran announced he would take personal leave at a meeting of Weddin Shire Councillors and GWAHS representatives yesterday.

"GWAHS is taking this very seriously. They've given me assurances and the council assurances that they will set out immediately to find a locum to fill this position, and to continue to search for VMO's for the Grenfell hospital," she said.

"Ideally it would be good to have four VMO's servicing the Grenfell region. That was expressed at the meeting and I fully support that."

It is only ten days since Dr Albadran returned to work after resolving a long-running dispute with the GWAHS during which he resigned.

3.49pm Friday 15 January 2010 - RDA NSW Media release

NSW State Health bureaucrats continue to bungle

RDA NSW President Ian Kamerman has called on the North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) to stop blaming problems at Bellingen Hospital on rural doctors and rural communities, who are trying to fix the problems.

Dr Kamerman made the comments following an article in the The Coffs Coast Advocate, 12 January 2010, where an unnamed NCAHS spokesman blamed local doctors for "miscategorising patients" leading to statistical errors and presumably poor decisions about the future of Bellingen Hospital.

“Obviously the unnamed spokesman is unaware that Area Health Services devotes significant resources to employ Patient Record Management Staff whose role it is to categorise patient stays,” Dr Kamerman said.

“This is not and never has been a role for medical staff whose responsibility it is to provide quality clinical care, including medical treatment and diagnosis. It is a clerical task to translate a diagnosis into statistical categories.”

The community of Bellingen on the NSW North Coast is fighting for the survival of its much needed local hospital, and RDA NSW believes the community deserves a health service that caters for its needs.

“The community of Bellingen has waited 18 months for the Area Health Chief Executive to fund the Bellingen model of obstetric care. The model is so successful it’s being introduced into other communities, but has still not been started up in its home town,” Dr Kamerman said.

“The flawed NCAHS report into Bellingen Hospital accused local doctors of having their patients in hospital much longer than is standard. What the report didn’t take into account is the fact that this is largely due to Bellingen Hospital's role in looking after coastal residents requiring aged care placements or rehabilitation – obviously care that can involve lengthy stays - and that there are no local health facilities which can accommodate these patients outside the hospital.

“Furthermore, due to the parlous state of community health in Bellingen local patients have to stay in hospital longer as community staff do not exist in numbers to provide the required level of care.

“RDA NSW looks forward to working constructively with the North Coast Area Health Service in improving health services to its rural communities. This can only be achieved if the same view is shared by local health bureaucrats,” Dr Kamerman said.

2.30pm Friday 15 January 2010 - Northern Star - Digby Hildreth

Lismore Doctor recovers from crash

The Lismore man who survived a horror car crash near Whiporie is a psychiatric registrar at the Adult Mental Health Unit at Lismore Base Hospital, The Northern Star can reveal.

Sources close to the hospital told the Star he was Chris Stephenson, aged 35, an accredited psychiatric training scheme registrar.

Dr Stephenson is in a stable condition in the hospital after being injured in the collision on the Summerland Way on Sunday night, in which a father and son in the other vehicle died.

His injuries are further bad news for the troubled mental health unit, which has been unable to fill its required complement of registrars.

The 40-bed clinic was rebuilt and opened to much fanfare in May 2008 at a cost of $38 million, but sources say there has been no increase in funding for the expanded service.

The clinic is meant to be staffed by seven registrars, a number it concedes is ‘adequate for the safe running of the unit’.

It would not disclose the exact extent of the shortfall, but it is believed to be at least half the required number.

One NCAHS worker said the mental health unit, formerly known as the Richmond Clinic, was not a ‘happy ship’.

Staff shortages across the board in the North Coast health area have been described as ‘chronic’ by the NSW nurses association.

11.25am Wednesday 13 January 2010 - Daily Examiner - Tim Howard

Grafton Emergency department half-staffed

Grafton Base Hospital (GBH) emergency department filled less than half its optimal roster during the Christmas period, according to figures supplied by a local doctor.

The doctor said eight or nine doctors are needed each shift to man the emergency department.

However, the North Coast Area Health Services (NCAHS) admitted only four doctors, three of which were locums, were available on Christmas Day.

“Grafton Base Hospital, like many rural hospitals, has challenges recruiting to permanent emergency department medical positions,” a NCAHS spokesperson said.

“On Christmas Day, GBH had four doctors rostered for the 24-hour period. Three of those were locums.

“GBH follows NSW Health policy directives relating to locum medical officers which set locum rates at no more than $130 per hour or $145 per hour where a medical practitioner has more than five years full-time postgraduate clinical experience.

“In addition, it is normal practice to pay travel and accommodation for locum medical staff.

“The three locums working on Christmas Day received payment as per these guidelines.”

The doctor said that staff shortages in emergency were not limited to the Christmas period, although it was harder to recruit locums at this time.

“The hospital has to find locums throughout the year because there are not enough doctors locally,” he said.

He said the hospital found doctors where it could, with cities such as Sydney and Melbourne not out of its reach.

Source

Editor: At Pambula there are 9 VMOs including four GP/obstetricians who are kept by GSAHS from delivering babies at our local hospital.

12.35pm Tuesday 12 January 2010 – ABC News

Taree: Specialist services 'not good enough' at Taree hospital

A mid-north coast politician has raised concerns in State Parliament about the lack of specialist services at Taree's Manning Rural Referral Hospital.

The Myall Lakes MP, John Turner, says the hospital does not have a full-time oncologist, an ear, nose and throat specialist or a stroke unit.

Mr Turner says that is not good enough for a major regional hospital.

"We'll continue to pursue the Government on it," he said.

"This situation with the ear, nose and throat specialist is particularly galling because the hospital has a dedicated area for ear, nose and throat and there is a doctor practicing in the private sector in the area who is prepared to do public work but the Government won't actually fund it."

12.30pm Tuesday 12 January 2010 – Daily Telegraph

Tweed: Oh Kristina, what a place for a holiday

Kristina Keneally has picked the worst place for a Labor Premier to holiday in NSW.

Ms Keneally is flying into a storm over a long list of broken 2007 election promises in the far northern border electorate of Tweed.

What was meant to be a relaxing five day break from her maddening schedule of profile-building public appearances has turned into a row over the Government’s failure to deliver on 12 major commitments.

Mr Provest said his electorate is still waiting for a new police station, 30 new hospital beds and a plan to boost cross border transport.

“Labor opened a new ward at Tweed Hospital 2008 but still there’s been no net increase in beds, they have just closed other ones,” Mr Provest said.

“In the last financial year 500 Tweed Hospital patients were treated in corridors

“They also promised a Health One Centre in Pottsville but nothing has happened even though the budget allocated funds this year.”

Acting Opposition Leader Andrew Stoner said: "While everyone needs a holiday, Kristina Keneally would be hard pressed to find a place in NSW that hasn't been hit by State Labor's wrecking ball.”

Mr Provest also accused the Government of fudging growth predictions to deny the region funding increases.

“There’s a strong belief here that the Government has downgraded Tweed population growth forecasts to reduce public investment spending.”

5.06pm Saturday 09 January 2010 - Coffs Coast Advocate - Ute Schulenberg

Bellingen: Hospital under threat

The survival of Bellingen Hospital is in more doubt following revelations that incorrect information will be given to the NSW Government to assess its viability.

A public meeting yesterday heard that corrections of statistical errors underpinning the NSW Health Review Taskforce’s report on Bellingen Hospital would not be incorporated into the final report being forwarded to NSW Health Minister, Carmel Tebbutt.

As insurance, the community-backed Bellingen Health Action Group has written to the Minister to highlight the inaccuracies.

In December, local health professionals went through Taskforce information and uncovered significant errors in population, postcode, age demographics, palliative care services and more. Corrections were then handed to the North Coast Area Heath Service.

Bellingen doctor Deirdre Little said the response received on Christmas Eve was infuriating.

“The NCAHS said it would ‘note’ the seaboard and valley are part of the hospital’s catchment,” Dr Little said.

“Originally they said the hospital catchment was 2900, figures for Bellingen only, dating back to 2006 – the figure is actually more than 10,000, an error of 350 per cent!”

In addition, Dr Little said the NCAHS refused to analyse statistics which incorrectly said Bellingen had provided no palliative care to patients last year.

“The statistics are rubbish – we found a 23 per cent rate of error in coding and this is being ignored.”

The final straw was being criticised for administering ‘excessive blood transfusions’.

“We don’t invent the need for blood transfusions.”

Meanwhile fellow doctor, Rufina Lam, who is a member of the Taskforce, sat by frustrated because under the terms of a confidentiality agreement, she can say nothing. “I’m one of those who is gagged,” Dr Lam said.

To speak out would risk being sued or possibly worse.

Yesterday the community was enlisting the political clout of NSW Nationals leader and local member for Oxley, Andrew Stoner.

Mr Stoner told the meeting to feed him whatever information they had so he could use it in his questions in parliament.

“If we stand united on this we can’t be beaten,” Mr Stoner said.

Bellingen Health Action Group member Pia Dollmann said far from improving the quality of patient care in NSW, the review appeared to be an economic review.

“It is blatant misuse of the process,” she said. “The final report is misleading and does not reflect our needs truthfully.”

Bellingen Council representatives will meet with Ms Tebbutt in Sydney on February 24.

Source

11.30am Saturday 09 January 2010 - Sydney Morning Herald

Tooth decay epidemic in NSW: report

It's been revealed that children as young as 18 months are being forced to undergo thousands of dollars worth of dental work as tooth decay reaches "epidemic" proportions in NSW.

Dental experts say parents are spending up to $5,000 on crowns for children whose teeth are deteriorating before they even hit preschool, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Australian Dental Association Oral Health Committee chairwoman Dr Philippa Sawyer said almost half of Australian children under four suffer untreated tooth decay.

"If that many children had some other sort of disease, and remember that tooth decay is a disease, then it would be called an epidemic," she said.

Dr Sawyer cited a recent Australian study which found 48 per cent of children suffer from untreated tooth decay, but only 10 per cent have seen a dentist.

ADA president Dr Neil Hewsen said the spread of sugary, acidic drinks and snacks aimed at children is largely to blame.

Dr Hewsen said the situation has become so dire that shock advertising campaigns like those about smoking and skin cancer are needed to hammer the message home.

NSW Health figures show that by age five almost 40 per cent of children have untreated decay, while more than 30 per cent aged five to eight do not visit a dentist regularly.

Source

11.25am 09 January 2010 - Daily Liberal

GWAHS: Debt, debate and constant changes - 2009's political landscape

Not surprisingly, our politicians highlighted health as the biggest local issue when they reflected on the year.

At the height of the GWAHS financial crisis in 2008, total debts exceeded $60 million, but they managed to clear it all by February 27 this year, the day before a deadline imposed by the then NSW premier Nathan Rees.

But that was not the end of it.

The $60 million used to pay off the debt was found within GWAHS alone and resulted in significant cutbacks in staff in a desperate bid to move out of the red, the Daily Liberal reported in September.

And on top of that, three months after paying those debts the Greater Western faced another budget blow-out with a $9.2 million debt.

3.16pm Wednesday 06 January 2010 - Patrick Williams - Tweed News

Tweed: New mothers ditch Tweed hospitals

Tweed mothers are ditching local hospitals and crossing the Queensland border to give birth because of downgraded maternity facilities in the region, according to local MP Geoff Provest.

New statistics reveal that since 2007, birth rates in Tweed and Murwillumbah hospitals have been sliding consistently.

“In 2007, there were 114 Tweed births per month, in 2008 there were 111, but in 2009 the figure has fallen to just 100,” Mr Provest said.

That is a decrease of 168 births since 2007, or 14 births a month.

Mr Provest obtained the figures as answers to a written question to New South Wales Deputy Premier and Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt last month.

“The Tweed population is growing, the nation’s fertility rate is growing, so the only explanation is that Tweed mums are voting with their feet and going to John Flynn and other Queensland hospitals,” Mr Provest said.

5.05pm Thursday 24 December 2009

Tebbutt’s ‘Second’ Phase Health Reforms Can’t Be Taken Seriously

The second phase of Garling hospital reforms announced by Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt are a farce according to the NSW Opposition.

4.59pm Thursday 24 December 2009 - SMH

Abbott plan 'a bunch of rhetoric', says Rudd.

The Prime Minister has side-stepped the prospect of a bipartisan approach to reform of public hospital funding but reasserted his promise of a referendum if he could not win cooperation from the states on health reforms.

After the Herald revealed yesterday that the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, was expected to press for a referendum on health, Kevin Rudd would not be drawn on the possibility of bipartisan support for a change to the constitution to transfer control of health funding to the Commonwealth.

Mr Rudd dismissed Mr Abbott's plan as ''a bunch of rhetoric''. He said his Government's commitment to seeking a ''mandate from the people'' if it failed to get state agreement was ''absolutely clear-cut''.

4.57pm Thursday 24 December 2009 - ABC News Don Mahoney

Gulgong Patients defy shut-down

Long-term Gulgong Hospital patient Hamen Vile has called on the State Government to honour a promise made by former Health Minister John Della Bosca that he would not be moved.

The Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS) has confirmed that the hospital will close for 10 days over Christmas and New Year and that patients will be either discharged or moved to other hospitals at noon today.

But Mr Vile, a resident of the hospital for decades, said yesterday that if GWAHS came to move him, he and other patients would refuse to leave.

“I believe this whole closure comes back to GWAHS trying to get me out of Gulgong Hospital,” Mr Vile said.

“If they get me out on Wednesday and move me to either Mudgee or Dunedoo, I believe they will then close Gulgong Hospital.

“When John Della Bosca was NSW Health Minister he said that I was to stay here and not be moved.

4.57pm Thursday 24 December 2009 - ABC News

Snowdon holds rural health talks

The Federal Minister for Rural and Regional Health has travelled to Wonthaggi to discuss problems with the healthcare system. Warren Snowdon held a meeting with healthcare professionals yesterday to discuss a report from the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission.

The Government is expected to respond to the report in March.

1.13pm Tuesday 22 December 2009 - SMH - Mark Metherall Health Correspondent

Abbott launches hospitals offensive

The Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, is expected to press for a referendum on health funding reform, putting the heat on the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, over his pledge to fix public hospitals.

The Coalition is preparing to go to the next election with a promise to overhaul health funding. Its policy will include plans for direct federal funding of new local health and hospital boards, rather than funding through state governments.

The referendum push will be part of Mr Abbott's strategy to challenge Mr Rudd's credibility on his promise to ''seek a mandate'' at the next election for a federal takeover of public hospitals if the states failed to agree to his reform plans.

The Opposition health spokesman, Peter Dutton, is believed to have won approval for the plan from shadow cabinet while Malcolm Turnbull was leader.

Mr Abbott, who as health minister in the Howard government repeatedly described health funding as ''a dog's breakfast'', has told colleagues he supports the plan.

After winning the leadership this month he dismissed as ''another fudge'' Mr Rudd's pledge to seek a mandate for a federal takeover if necessary.

But Mr Abbott has opposed a direct federal takeover of health funding. The Coalition would seek to avoid shifting detailed funding decisions fromstate governments to Canberra.

Instead, federal health funding would be directed to local hospital boards so decisions could be made close to where services were delivered.

Mr Abbott is expected to face resistance within his party, particularly in NSW, to a move that weakens state powers.

Mr Rudd's promise of a staged approach to health reform is six months behind schedule, and there is little evidence that the states will agree to expanded federal control of funding for hospital out-patients and other health areas, as recommended by the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission in July.

The Victorian Government has rejected proposals for a federal takeover of funding for non-hospital services such as community health centres. But NSW dropped its proposal for a more regionalised approach to funding.

At the Council of Australian Governments meeting in Brisbane this month, Mr Rudd was only able to announce that he and the premiers had agreed on a process to move towards reform in the first part of next year. But he said he was not resiling from his promises before the election.

This month Mr Abbott told the Herald there were too many state Labor governments and too many public sector unions relying on the current arrangements for the Rudd Government to take over health.

''I think it is hugely improbable he is going to come up with a policy we are going to support,'' Mr Abbott said.

A long-time advocate of health reform, the former senior public servant John Menadue, welcomed the chance that a referendum might receive bipartisan support. ''It would be a major step forward in my view,'' he said. ''It would still be opposed by state governments and bureaucracies, but if both federal parties endorse it, I believe they could win.''

Mr Menadue said the Government ''underestimates how sick and tired people are of the state governments' performance''.

Source

1.13pm Tuesday 22 December 2009 - SMH - Natasha Wallace

Tebbutt's new year resolutions aim to ease health hangover

The NSW Health Minister, Carmel Tebbutt, has announced her goals for the next 12 months to address the systemic problems that have plagued public hospitals for many years.

The Caring Together: Building Sustainability report outlines the second phase of the Government's $485 million response to last year's Garling inquiry, which warned hospitals were ''on the brink''. Ms Tebbutt promises further widespread reform, including quarterly publication of hospital-acquired infection rates.

However, a status report also released yesterday showed the Health Department has completed only some of the dozens of tasks to which it committed in its Caring Together response to the Garling report, released in March.

It has yet to start work on some recommendations, such as ward audits of infection control and relieving paramedics of the burden of staying with patients as they await treatment.

Commitments for 2010 include establishing regional chronic disease management services. By February, NSW Health aims to have 500 clinical support officers in roles designed to relieve the administrative burden on nurse managers. That is about double the current figure.

Medical assessment units, designed to reduce patient waiting times in emergency, will open at Tweed, Lismore, Coffs Harbour, Orange and Mona Vale hospitals, in the first quarter.

NSW Health will ''research best practice in clinical engagement'' next year after doctors' repeated complaints of being ignored.

Dr Clare Skinner of the Hospital Reform Group said clinicians felt ''nothing has changed''. ''We've had no stability at the top in NSW. It's very hard to commit to a reform agenda when the leadership changes so often. People want things to change but there's a lack of clear direction,'' she said.

Source

4.43pm Monday 21 December 2009: Government of Australia Posted on: 20th December 2009

Narrabri: Australia Invests $41.7 Million For Narrabri Health Service Redevelopment

The Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, and the NSW Minister for Health, Carmel Tebbutt, today announced that construction of the new Narrabri District Health Service redevelopment would begin soon.

Richard Crooks Construction Pty Ltd has been selected as the successful tenderer to build the new hospital.

Ms Roxon said the Narrabri District Health Service redevelopment is a partnership between the Commonwealth and NSW Governments.

“The project has a total value of $41.7 million, of which the Rudd Government has contributed $27 million,” she said.

“This state-of-the-art facility will be an outstanding asset to the Narrabri district community and will ensure the growing and changing health needs of local families are met now and into the future.”

“This is very exciting news for the people of Narrabri and surrounding rural and remote communities, including Wee Waa, Pilliga, Gwabegar and Burren Junction.”

Source

9.00am Monday 21 December 2009

Bellingen Hospital Community has joined the cyber-battle through its own site.

Click to find it.

Welcome to the information site for Bellingen Health Action Group (BHAG)*. This googlegroup site exists largely to keep the community informed of the unfolding developments around the threat to our local hospital.

The North Coast Area Health Service is currently reviewing the services available at 21 small hospitals. It appears to be a real and present danger that Bellingen River District Hospital might lose Acute Care Beds, Maternity and Surgical Services, and even the Emergency Department. Given our increasingly frequent isolation by floods, and already stretched services at Coffs Harbour, much of the community see this as a real threat to the welfare of every individual in our community.

This site is also a resource: you will find, in the files section, some pro forma letters and a contact list for politicians. We encourage you to use this information in consideration of any letter/s you might wish to to send any Politicians. We think its a good idea to send any letters to the State Health Minister (at this moment being Carmel Tebbutt) and the Federal Health Minister (Nicola Roxon), with ccs (carbon copies) sent to Shadow Ministers and the Greens Health Spokesperson and Leader as well.

Letters to politicians are particularly important during this month of December, as decisions by the State Health Minister will be made early in the New Year regarding the fate of Bellingen Hospital. Often, the most effective community protests are delivered one voice at a time: keep the pressure up! There is a politicians contact list, and a pro-forma letter below.

We have decided to use a gmail account instead of this google group to keep people informed. If you would like to be added, email bellohospitalrescue@gmail.com

BHAG's letter to Minister for Health 16 Dec 09

Easiest way to send emails to politicians

List of politicians addresses and emails - UPDATED

Pro-forma letter to Politicians

BHAG Mandate

Originally, we named our group "Bellingen Hospital Action Group". In exploring incorporation, we have decided to rename it with a wider field of reference.

Source

4.21pm Saturday 19 December 2009 - The Greens

Bellingen hospital needs a lifeline not cuts

NSW Greens MP and health spokesperson Lee Rhiannon, soon to visit the Bellingen Shire, is calling on the State and Federal governments to boost funding and resources to the Bellingen Hospital and better involve the community in decisions affecting the hospital’s future.

Ms Rhiannon, lead senate candidate for the 2010 federal election, will visit Bellingen on Saturday 21 November 2009 to meet with residents, Greens members and supporters. She is holding an afternoon public forum to discuss health and other issues.

“Local hospitals are the beating heart of any community and the Bellingen River District Hospital needs life support to ensure it can deliver the services residents need,” Ms Rhiannon said.

“There are 22 small hospitals between Tweed Heads and Port Macquarie. These are all under threat as a result of proposed cuts by the North Coast Area Health Service.

“I will be working with residents and local Greens groups to try and arrest the cuts and ensure the full funding of essential hospital services.

“The Rees government should be listening more closely to the genuine concerns local residents hold for the future of this essential service.

“People living in Bellingen, Dorrigo and Urunga are understandably fearful that the Bellingen hospital is being run down, with a view to closure.

“The hospital is suffering from neglect, with staff cutbacks and funding shortfalls creating real threats to public health, especially for accident, emergency and maternity patients.

“Residents in the Bellingen Shire, many of whom are geographically isolated, do not want to travel to Coffs Harbour or Port Macquarie to access hospital services.

“This week’s heavy rains illustrate the risks of being required to leave the Shire to access health services, with inadequate public roads which can be cut during flooding and limited public transport.

“Bellingen’s population is growing and the larger hospitals in Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie are already suffering funding shortfalls and a high demand for services.

Source

4.18pm Saturday 19 December 2009 - Busines Spectator and AAP

More money needed for indigenous health

Around $1.22 is spent on the health and aged care needs of every indigenous Australian for every dollar spent on non-indigenous people, a new report shows.

That's an increase from $1.17 spent in 2004/05, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

The higher spending rate reflects the health gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, and the cost of delivering services in remote areas.

4.15pm Saturday 19 December 2009 - Essential Baby - Julie Rowbotham Medical Editor - May 11, 2009

Blue Mountains Hospital closure leaves woman screaming