Regional NSW healthcare: Doctors, patients voice frustrations

A stinging inquiry into the state of health care in the state’s central west has revealed people have been forced to travel to Sydney and Canberra for treatment.

Doctors and long-suffering patients have told of massive wait times, huge costs and severe specialist shortages in submissions made to an inquiry into the state of healthcare in rural, regional and remote NSW.

In their submission to the inquiry, the Orange Health Service Medical Staff Council claimed a unit tasked with investigating poor patient outcomes had “downgraded” some serious incidents.

Orange Health Service. Picture: Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation

“The clinical governance unit in Western NSW Local Health District has lacked senior medical leadership for a number of years,” the submission states.

“Some serious adverse clinical incidents have been downgraded, without information being provided to clinicians as to the reasons for the downgrading and this can change whether a poor patient outcome is investigated at all.”

The council’s submission said while the trust of clinicians had been “eroding away”, it could be rebuilt after the health district recently appointed a senior clinician to the clinical governance unit.

In another part of its submission, the council told of how there was a “crisis” in 2019/20 in the paediatric outpatient unit at Orange Hospital because staff shortages led to a blowout in waiting times.

“New referrals needed to be declined, leaving families with no option but to travel to Sydney or Canberra for routine assessments of their children with autism, ADHD and development or learning disorders,” the submission said.

“To gain approval for a new specialist position can take two years of meetings and lobbying management at local and district level and most of such applications for service expansion and recruitment are denied due to perceived budget constraints.

“Orange Health Service has been without a public endocrinology service for the last three years. Many patients are unable to afford to see a private specialist.”

A resident told of a 2.5 hour journey to get an x-ray. Picture: iStock

In her submission to the inquiry, Warren resident Sally Empringham claimed there was no public endocrinologist at Dubbo Hospital either.

“We have to do a 12-hour round trip to Royal North Shore to see our specialist,” she wrote.

“How is it possible with all the diabetes and thyroid patients in Dubbo and western NSW that there isn’t an endocrinologist?”

Ms Empringham said while her local hospital had an x-ray machine, no one could operate it when her daughter suffered a broken arm and she had to travel 2.5 hours to Dubbo for the scan.

“Warren Hospital has been downgraded to the point that it is a nursing home … those who govern the health system are failing our local residents. We are not getting a higher standard of care, we are getting less care as people are choosing not to access care due to distance.”

The Warren Multipurpose Health Service. Picture: Replas Recycled Plastic Products

Wellington resident William Jones said doctors in his town were overworked and there was a three- to five-week wait to see one.

“Recently I hurt my back and I was incapable of walking so an ambulance had to be called at 2.30am to take me to the hospital at Wellington,” he wrote.

“However it was not until six hours later was I able to see the doctor and in the meantime I was in excruciating pain.”

A group of Gulgong residents who launched a petition for better healthcare services in their town told the inquiry of problems accessing ambulances.

“After waiting 26 hours in Mudgee Hospital for an ambulance, Bill discharged himself and had his wife drive him to Dubbo,” the group wrote in their submission.

“Angela’s friends — two women aged about 70 — were told no ambulance was available to take her from Gulgong MPS to Dubbo and so the friends drove her there … the next day Angela, now diagnosed with a brain tumour, was flown to Sydney.”

Residents claim they’re waiting hours for ambulances. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Lightning Ridge resident Andrew Kemeny said doctor shortages in the town made him decide to travel to his old home in Queensland for care.

“Due to the prevalence of locums attending our local medical centre, for anything other than simple cold or minor infection, I have travelled back to the Gold Coast to see my family doctor whom I have known for 20 years,” Mr Kemeny said.

“The sad fact of living in this small community is that there is no permanent doctor with whom I could form a relationship.”

A Cobar resident who made a submission but had her name suppressed wrote “God help us if there was a major emergency with one of the mines”.

“We have to wait weeks for appointments and that’s just to see a GP, or the alternative is to go to Dubbo which for us is a three-hour round trip and two days off work, plus your travel and accommodation expenses,” she wrote.

An artists impression of how the new Dubbo Base Hospital will look when the redevelopment it’s undergoing is completed. Picture: NSW Government

Not all submissions were negative, with Tayla Kennedy saying she was “treated like royalty” when she gave birth at Dubbo Base Hospital.

“It is wrong that the media will only highlight the negative stories and they should be ashamed of themselves,” she said.

“Dubbo Hospital and other regional hospitals have so much to offer and rather than being beaten down, they should be supported.”

Dr Phillip Jolly, who provides locum services to communities in regional NSW, said in his submission better remuneration and a reduction in government red tape could help attract more doctors to regional NSW.

“We have a crisis in recruitment of medical personal in these towns,” he said.

“Rural people need access to medical practitioners in their towns.”

The Dubbo News understands almost 700 submissions were made to the inquiry — 299 of which have been uploaded to the NSW parliament website so far.

The inquiry’s first public hearing is due to take place at Parliament House in Sydney on March 19.

A NSW Health spokesperson said the organisation acknowledged the concerns raised in submissions.

“Submissions to the inquiry will be carefully considered...we acknowledge the distress experienced by those patients, families and carers who have shared negative experiences,” the spokesperson said.

“When adverse events do occur NSW Health takes these matters very seriously and works continuously to ensure people in regional, rural and remote NSW experience optimal health outcomes.

“Recruiting medical staff to regional and rural areas is a significant challenge Australia-wide. The Australian Government funds rural general practitioner services, while the states and territories provide public hospital services and some community-based services.”

The spokesperson said since 2012 the NSW Health workforce in rural and regional areas increased by 20.6 per cent to 43,923 full-time equivalent positions.

“The number of doctors employed within NSW Health in rural and regional areas over this period has increased by 1,438 to 4,773 — 43 per cent more than in 2012.

“The NSW and Australian Governments are working together to improve health outcomes and access to services for rural communities.”