At its meeting last Wednesday night, local lobby group No More Bandaid Solutions Inc. laid the foundations for the next stage of the campaign to build a new hospital in Tumut.

The group will focus on liaising with local councillors as they begin to actively lobby State Government ministers.

NMBS Inc. will also set up a dialogue with local business operators and peak industry groups in coming weeks with a view to raising awareness about the economic aspects of the issue.

A report detailing the economic progress of the district over the past decade, and the likely impact on the economy should a new hospital not be provided in the near future, is being compiled for distribution to State Government, industry groups and health authorities.

The report, which details statistics showing Tumut has been leading small towns in rural NSW, will also be made available to interested members of the general public.

Statistics supplied by Tumut Shire Council show that investment and development estimated at between $750 million and $1 billion is currently in various stages of planning for the Tumut district.

"A new hospital is vital to this development proceeding," said a spokesperson for the lobby group.

The urgency of the need for a new hospital was underlined during the meeting as members heard disturbing information passed on by members of the public.

It was clear to those at the meeting that many residents, especially low income earners, the frail and elderly, are experiencing difficulty in accessing affordable medical services. Ultrasound is still a huge problem with no solution in sight yet.

The meeting was told that the new $300,000 ultrasound machine ordered for Wagga Wagga Base Hospital last September had arrived many months ago, but was still not operational.

It was claimed that even when up and running, due to the demand on its services, it would make no difference to the plight of Tumut Shire residents who would still be forced to attend private clinics in Wagga Wagga and Canberra:

"This presents severe financial difficulty for many people who will still have to pay up front fees and use private transport," said the group's spokesperson.

Difficulties being experienced by local families using the maternity ward at Tumut Hospital were also discussed at the meeting and described as "disgraceful".

According to some local expectant mothers, there are currently 18 women scheduled to give birth at Tumut Hospital in coming months and with a number due at the same time and there were worries at what will happen if two or more of them start labour simultaneously since there is only one fully equipped delivery room.

With no local anaesthetist available, the women say they are unable to have epidurals or emergency Caesars. They also face a long, bumpy 100 kilo metre dash in an ambulance to Wagga Wagga mid labour, should they experience problems or should both obstetricians be unavailable to deliver their babies," said the spokesperson.

Other problems mentioned at the meeting included lack of space and privacy, noisy shared rooms, infectious patients being located next to newborns and their mothers, lack of security, proximity to general wards, risk of cross infection, proximity to mentally ill in-patients, problems with aftercare for those who give birth in Wagga Wagga and other sensitive issues.

The cost of transporting patients to Canberra by air ambulance and to Wagga Wagga via road ambulance was cited as another reason for upgrading local medical services and facilities. It is was suggested that a trip via ambulance from Tumut to Wagga Wagga currently costs approximately $510.60 per patient to be paid by Tumut Hospital.

Helicopter from Tumut to Canberra costs $1,785 for the first 30 minutes and thereafter $120 for each six minutes of engine hours. The total cost is shared between Tumut Hospital and the receiving hospital in Canberra.

The actual cost of transportation is, however, much higher and is offset by sponsorship and donations from the public.

Concerns were raised about the future of the air ambulance service should Snowy Hydro, which sponsors South Care helicopter service, be sold.

Members were told that Snowy Hydro had recently renewed a five-year sponsorship of South Care helicopter service and that this would be a condition of any sale.

NMBS Inc. will investigate the exact costs to hospitals, ambulance services, and patients in the light of suggestions from the Doctors' Reform Group in Sydney which advocates the closure of small emergency units in NSW hospitals.

The newly formed lobby group of 70 academics, surgeons and physicians wants patients to be rushed by ambulance to large, specially equipped emergency units staffed with expert specialist medical teams, rather than to the nearest hospital.

"This policy should not apply to small hospitals in rural NSW," said Sue Swann, Secretary of NMBS Inc.

"It may be appropriate for some hospitals in Sydney; however, it would be entirely inappropriate for country areas. We will always need our emergency units and Level 3 hospitals in country NSW," she said.

A history of the issue, including 61 newspaper articles is available on www.nomorebandaids.homestead.com

Tumut & Adelong Times

May 9 2006