A petition signed by 1800 people calling for support for the rebuilding of Tumut's 107 year old hospital as a priority, will be presented to Mayor Gene Vanzella on Monday night.
The petition was launched by local action group No More Bandaid Solutions Inc., in frustration there is no end in sight to the problems it says is being experienced by Tumut district residents accessing public health services.
It urges the Council to make a new hospital a high priority and to lobby the government and health authorities on behalf of the people who depend on it.
Organisers of the petition say they have been overwhelmed by the response and that they are in no doubt now as to their having a mandate for the campaign for a new hospital now, rather than the lengthy wait under the health dept's planning schedule.
Secretary of NMBS Inc. and co-ordinator of the petition Sue Swann said she was bombarded with messages of encouragement and wished to thank everybody for their support.
She extended an invitation to all who signed the petition to witness it being handed to Mayor Gene Vanzella at the Tumut Shire Council Chambers at approximately 4.45 p.m. on Monday.
The presentation will be made by President of No More Bandaid Solutions Inc. Kevin Swann who will address Councillors on behalf of those who endorsed the petition.
Mrs Swann said that the original issue which sparked the campaign for a new hospital, namely the privatisation of ultrasound in the area's public hospitals was still a major problem.
"In September 2005 it was announced that an ultrasound machine worth $300,000 was on order for Wagga Wagga Base Hospital. Some months ago, the machine arrived but as of today, it is still not operational due to staffing "problems", she said.
"It's still probably in its cardboard box," said Mrs Swann.
"There has been no change for the people from this district," she said.
"People are still having to travel hundreds of kms via private transport, still having to pay up front, still not getting bulk billing," said Mrs Swann.
"And when it is operational, given the demands on the machine, there is no way it will make any difference to the people of Tumut and other districts in the region who are out-patients.
"We need a new hospital with our own medical imaging clinic, including an ultrasound machine.
"If its viable at Cooma and Young, it's viable at Tumut," she said.
"My fear is that medical imaging is in the process of being privatised within the public health system in this region. In my view this will not serve the community well," she said.
"It is all very well for those who can afford to pay the high cost of private medical services and who have private health insurance. But what about Mr and Mrs
Average and pensioners who are struggling to keep pace with rising food and fuel costs in country NSW; without the luxury of public transport?"
As part of the campaign for a new hospital, No More Bandaids has already written numerous letters to politicians and health authorities advocating the installation of new technology for medical imaging in public hospitals.
The group has pointed out the technology, already in use in Western Australia and other parts of the world, allows data to be exchanged electronically to distant locations for expert medical opinions.
"This could revolutionise the way in which medicine is practised in rural areas in this country," said Mrs Swann.
"It could free small towns like Tumut, Adelong, and Batlow from having to depend on private operators who seek to monopolise particular services and who are governed by the profit margins.
"The public health system is meant to provide a comprehensive service for everyone, rich or poor.
"If sections of the public system are privatised, what happens to those who cannot afford a private company's charges and conditions?"
According to NMBS Inc. other small hospitals in the region such as Young and Cooma have their own ultrasound machines.
The group maintains that Tumut, with a larger surrounding population to draw on, could more than adequately sustain an ultrasound service at a new Tumut hospital.
They claim that with proper planning, ongoing costs to the public system could be reduced and the community could benefit from an affordable, accessible, and reliable medical diagnostic service to the area.
"The question has to be asked, has the privatisation of medical imaging at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and within the Greater Southern Area Health Service served the community well to date?" said Mrs Swann.
In our opinion, 'No', given the problems we have highlighted over the past year," said a spokesperson from NMBS Inc.
"If medical imaging is privatised in public hospitals, particularly if it is limited to one private company, expect higher prices, delayed reporting times and limited access and services to continue."
Tumut & Adelong Times
April 21, 2006