Frustrated over the lack of a guaranteed commitment from the NSW Government to build a new Tumut Hospital within a set time-frame, Tumut woman Sue Swann says it's time the local community established a "Tumut Hospital Campaign Group" to lobby for the project.
"It is clear money that should have gone to a new Tumut hospital is going to Wagga Base," she said.
"Other hospitals such as Deniliquin have been upgraded; a number of Multi Purpose Service projects, which enjoy joint Commonwealth I state funding, are also being fitted out with the latest digital equipment whilst hospitals like Tumut have to make do with old equipment" claims Mrs Swann.
"Seven years ago we were told Tumut was on the Public Works capital list and we would have a new hospital within ten years.
"Now the Greater Southern Area Health Service is saying the earliest we can look at is 2012, but even that isn't set in concrete."
Mrs Swann says whilst there already exists a Tumut Hospital Committee the time had come for the entire community to focus on the need to campaign hard on the issue and let the government know the depth of feeling over the issue.
"The reports in the draft new Health Services Plan admit the existing infrastructure is inadequate; that there are deficiencies in accident and emergency, and in maternity facilities. According to the plan, services are inefficient and actually unsafe," she claimed.
Mrs Swann says the support of many people had been enlisted and stalls would be conducted in the main street on October 28 and on November 3 the latter date coinciding with a public meeting on the new Health Services Plan to be presented at the Tumut RSL Club at 5.30 p.m.
A window display incorporating material provided by the Tumut Historical Society has been set up at the Tumut Pharmacy, as a tribute to those who have worked hard to establish and maintain hospital facilities in the town over the past one hundred years.
But interviewees are not expected to include local doctors. (The Times understands Tumut hospital visiting Medical Officers are gagged from officially commenting on certain hospital or health service matters as part of their contracts with GSAHS) .
Whilst Mrs Swann, and Mrs Pat Webb are heading the campaign, they say they want it to be a campaign owned by the community.
"If not it will show the community is not prepared to fight for its health services and the economy of the town, and that the big industries, niche tourist industries and the retirement sector don't appreciate just how reliant they are on decent medical services and facilities."
Mrs Swann has called on locals to register their support on the issue at the street stalls on the 28th and 3rd, and show support by attending the public meeting on November 3rd at the RSL Club. Anyone who has experienced difficulty accessing medical services is welcome to seek help at the stalls.
"The draft Health Services Plan suggests we lobby for a new hospital, but through the very body (GSAHS) that is saying the earliest we can expect action is 2012, and it might not happen then.
"Questions need answering as to why we aren't on the Public Works list right now, and why other smaller hospitals are being put ahead of Tumut, she said.
IF a campaign committee is formed it could in some ways duplicate certain roles expected of an existing group.
It was just over 12 months ago that a committee that has been in place for the past six years was celebrating news that the planning process for a new $10 million Tumut Hospital would finally begin.
The Hospital Planning Committee, consisting of general community members, doctors and other health professionals, was formed in response to a public meeting held back in May, 1999.
That public meeting was called as a result of publicly voiced community concerns regarding the inadequacies of the current Tumut hospital building to serve its present and projected community.
The committee's objective was to ensure the Tumut Hospital is replaced by a new hospital no later than 2009.
But whilst planning was set to begin, actual construction was to depend on State Government funding under its Capital Works Program.
Originally built in 1899 and opened in 1900, it has been altered and added onto numerous times since. Parts of the hospital have been downsized but the building has not been changed to meet its current modern day functions.
This has created efficiency issues with staffhaving to provide services through a rambling building, with like services located remote from each other.
The building contains asbestos; many entrances which makes its operation difficult and after hours security problematic; medical gases cannot be fully reticulated through the building due to its deficiencies which means staff have to rely on bottled gases; and it has no proper facilities for storage of medical records.
There is no facility in the building for a mental health patient and no suitable area where one of these patients can be placed at short notice and receive adequate supervision.
The operating theatres provide a valuable resource locallv as well as providing· an overflow facility for Wagga, but are old and becoming more difficult to meet accreditation standards. The hospital is also very inefficient in its use of energy.
Tumut hospital currently has 26 beds with an average occupancy of 18 beds used for acute care patients, which is considered high.
It averages 170 admissions per month, with around 500 accident and emergency patients attended to through the accident and emergency unit.
The hospital not only provides general hospital services for Tumut, Talbingo and rural areas, but also operating facilities and obstetrics for the Riverina Highlands area.
With Tumut being the centre of a summer and winter playground area this unfortunately also brings many emergencies. It is to the credit of its wonderful staff that within the current "rabbit warren" they are able to professionally provide a wide range of services for our district's vibrant community which will continue to grow rapidly with the plantation timber industry driving a vibrant economy.
The upgrading of the region's timber processing facilities such as Visy, Carter Holt Harvey and Weyerhaeuser, will no doubt ensure that growth over coming years, and with it the requirement for modern hospital facilities.
Tumut & Adelong Times
Friday, October 21, 2005