Dr McMaster met with state Member for Dubbo and Deputy Premier, Troy Grant, on Monday, where she put the case forward for a full time palliative specialist physician to be employed in Dubbo, along with three additional specialist palliative care nurses and another one and a half allied health professionals. 

Dr McMaster, who is a retired palliative care doctor, believes this would bring Dubbo inline with what is required to support its population of 43,000.

“The care that is in Dubbo at the moment is great, but there isnt enough of it,” Dr McMaster said. 

“The funding for this area has been under allocated for decades.

“We want a situation in Dubbo where people don’t come here to die, but are very well looked after.”

Helen Logan, who is a retired GP that also worked in palliative care at Lourdes for 20 years, believes increasing Dubbo’s palliative services is vital. 

“I think it is very important,” Dr Logan said. 

“I’m hoping for much more significant support for palliative care in Dubbo and the region.”

Dr McMaster is adamant that by increasing the amount of palliative specialists in Dubbo, the overall cost of caring for people with life limiting illnesses will decrease. 

With the services not in place, more people are required to stay in hospital for longer periods where the cost for caring for them is greater than if they were able to return home. 

“I hope the Premier Mike Baird will hear our pleas and recognise its a win win situation for the government and the community,” Dr McMaster said. 

“He will be able to help the most vulnerable in the community and at the same time save the government many millions of dollars.”

Dr McMaster encourages anyone wanting to support Push for Palliative to contact Mr Grant, or Dubbo Mayor Mathew Dickerson, and let them know of their concerns. 

Dr McMaster plans to follow up with Mr Grant after he sees Premier Baird and the state Health Minister Jillian Skinner.