‘Disgusting’: Tony Pasin takes aim at ‘bureaucrats’ who shot down Mount Gambier’s radiation treatment centre
A federal MP has slammed ‘bureaucrats’ who shot down a regional cancer treatment centre, but local health officials have defended the move saying there’s not enough demand in the area.
Mount Gambier
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A “long overdue” decision to double the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme fuel subsidy has been welcomed, but South East residents continue to raise questions after federal money for a local cancer treatment service was left on the table.
Independent state MP Troy Bell said an increase in the fuel subsidy from 16 cents per kilometre to 32 cents had come after years of campaigning.
“Statistics show our region is one of the biggest utilisers of PATS, so this measure will have a real financial impact for those local people needing to travel to access specialist medical care,” he said.
“A trip to Adelaide under the new subsidy will see around $288 back in the pockets of residents rather than $144.”
Though the increase has been welcomed by Member for Barker Tony Pasin, the federal MP still had questions for state and local health officials over the missed Mount Gambier radiation treatment centre.
The ICON Group, which operates the cancer treatment centre in Warrnambool, put forward a tender in August 2020.
During a community forum held in early December, Australian and New Zealand ICON Cancer Centre chief executive Paul Fenton said the tender required an annual investment from the state government to support its “operating expense”.
Mr Pasin said it was “disgusting” the Limestone Coast had missed out, because “bureaucrats” would not commit $1.5m in annual funding.
“We could have had a radiation treatment centre in Mount Gambier — people would be able to access it today,” he said.
Mr Pasin said the federal government was not prepared to provide funding without state government support, particularly as the ICON Group radiation services in both Adelaide and Warrnambool do not have a gap payment.
“Had the South Australian state government committed — the service would be up and running,” he said.
“Someone within SA Health or the local health network needs to explain why they recommended against that allocation.”
Following the December forum a spokesperson for the Limestone Coast Local Health Network said it would “discuss alternate solutions” on how to best support people with cancer in the community.
“Radiation services in Warrnambool were established with the capacity to cater for Mount Gambier residents and the broader South East,” a spokesperson said.
“Currently, there is not sufficient demand in the region to support the introduction of an additional service in Mount Gambier.”
Limestone Coast Prostate Cancer Support Group chair Richard Harry said the lack of a local service meant residents needed to take an “extraordinary” amount of time off work — for 15-minute treatments.
Radiation treatments can range between six to eight weeks, requiring five, 15-minute sessions per week, Mr Harry said.
Mr Harry said he was tired of “country people being classified as second-class citizens” when there were improved services available to them.
The Limestone Coast Health Network has been contacted for comment.
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