Medical fears for Cooloola Cove, Tin Can Bay residents

Aged, vulnerable and sick people on Cooloola Coast are not calling ambulance until they are desperately ill because of the cost of a taxi home

AN estimated one million Australians will benefit from the Federal Government's home care reforms. Picture: Contributed

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

AS A retired heath professional (registered nurse) I am disgusted to hear from many folk and current health professionals living in the Cooloola Cove Tin Can Bay area that they are too frightened to ring for an ambulance if they need medical help in Gympie.

If people have no support or cannot arrange transport home, they will not ring for an ambulance until their condition deteriorates enough to warrant admission to hospital.

The reason? Gympie Hospital will discharge very vulnerable people at any time of the day or night.

Gympie Hospital 150 years. Picture: Josh Preston

From personal experience I was discharged at one in the morning but with many protestations I was given a respite bed until the morning.

It then cost me $177 for a taxi to Tin Can Bay.

I live on my own, had major medical concerns but like most people my age, value my independence.

I cannot afford $177 taxi trips after receiving necessary medical attention.

After working most of my 45-year career in emergency departments, experience tells me that taxi vouchers are a safer more economical way of overcoming this problem when very vulnerable, frail folk are discharged to their own devices at any hour of the day.

Kerri Williams,

Tin Can Bay