HEALTH services and water security are the top two priorities for regional councils across the state, according to the chairperson of the Country Mayors Association in NSW.
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Parkes Mayor Ken Keith OAM was one of the speakers at the during Wednesday's Dubbo hearing into the inquiry into health outcomes and access to health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote NSW.
In his position of chairperson for the association he said the group had surveyed regional councils as to their issues and priority needs.
"The motion to go to the next meeting in two weeks time is to ask the state government to create a minister for regional health, a model similar to the roads network needs to apply to regional health as well, given the disparity between metro and regional health services," Cr Keith said.
He said one of the mayor concerns was that resources allocated to base hospitals had been done at the expense of hospital in regional towns.
"We aren't saying the services they provide is not needed, but we are saying that medium sized towns need to be serviced as well."
Cr Keith referenced the Parkes maternity unit which closed in June 2019 because a long-standing local doctor had retired and was never successfully replaced.
There comes a time when scarcity and reduction in resources when it becomes unachievable, and the health service can become a disservice. I believe we are on the edge of this right here in Parkes.
- Parkes GP Dr Kerrie Steward
A proposed midwife-led model at the hospital has also not happened.
There are currently only between 5-8 full time equivalent GPs in the town, which has a drawing population of around 12,000.
Parkes GP Dr Kerrie Steward said while she acknowledged that rural doctors thrive on the challenges of rural medicine there was also a tipping point.
"There comes a time when scarcity and reduction in resources when it becomes unachievable, and the health service can become a disservice.
"I believe we are on the edge of this right here in Parkes," she told the inquiry.
The inquiry heard the Parkes hospital theater was closed more than it was open, and wait times for a GP were easily a month for a standard appointment. Emergency appointments were almost non-existent, putting pressure on the hospital emergency department.
Access an issue for those in Warren
WITH a population of 2,730 the Warren Shire is quite small in number compared to other regions in the Western NSW Local Health District, however, the geography of the shire proves a problem for those needing access to health service.
Warren Shire Council Mayor Milton Quigley has also been a practicing dentist in Warren for the past 31 years, and has heard about the issues when it comes to accessing health services.
He said increasingly the burden for the provision of health services was being placed upon local government.
The Warren Shire had built a medical facility already, able to house three GPs and allied health professionals. They also currently subsides rental accommodation for doctors who come and stay int eh region.
He told the rural and regional health inquiry the community had identified five areas as stumbling blocks in health.
"The provision of GP services, recruitment and training of those working in health and MPS and aged care, ongoing provision of aged care in town so people don't have to move to receive health outcomes that they need, and the last two are allied health - significant number of allied health professionals come into the town, many of the community don't understand or are aware of those services that are provided.
Mr Quigley said access was also an issue.
"People have to come in to ask for doctor to provide for licence ok, physio comes to MPS, but to access you have to see GP, but if there is no GP, then it becomes very hard."
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I am the editor of the Daily Liberal, Mailbox Shopper, Western Magazine and associated western publications (Wellington Times and Narromine News which are both online only publications). I have been the editor for three years. I have been a journalist for 15 years and was formally the digital specialist for the Western NSW area assisting with digital coverage and growth across 13 mastheads, including the three dailies. Before that I worked as a journalist in Lithgow and Mudgee covering a number of different rounds. I established the social media accounts in Lithgow and took an interest in the digital aspects of the paper. I started my journalism career at the former Myall Coast Nota based as the journalist-in-charge at Tea Gardens while also working part time in Forster as the council reporter for the Great Lakes Advocate.
I am the editor of the Daily Liberal, Mailbox Shopper, Western Magazine and associated western publications (Wellington Times and Narromine News which are both online only publications). I have been the editor for three years. I have been a journalist for 15 years and was formally the digital specialist for the Western NSW area assisting with digital coverage and growth across 13 mastheads, including the three dailies. Before that I worked as a journalist in Lithgow and Mudgee covering a number of different rounds. I established the social media accounts in Lithgow and took an interest in the digital aspects of the paper. I started my journalism career at the former Myall Coast Nota based as the journalist-in-charge at Tea Gardens while also working part time in Forster as the council reporter for the Great Lakes Advocate.
