What SSWAHS gets in return are organisations willing to do the work that SSWAHS should be doing for the health and wellbeing of the residents of its empire, and generally, the work is done for a pittance. The other thing SSWAHS obtains is the silence of the organisations it funds. Organisations that might normally be advocates, activists or, the gods forbid, agitators on behalf of the marginalised and vulnerable in the SSWAHS empire bite their lips and remember the cheque is in the mail.
A classic example in SSWAHS is the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice. This Division is supposedly the representative organisation of most of the general practitioners in the Southern Highlands. Their website trumpets more about their links with governments - both state and federal - but mostly about their unusual relationship with SSWAHS from whom they seek both money and glory. This is what they say about SSWAHS:
"External Relations
A sound relationship has been established with the Sydney South West Area Health Service (SSWAHS) which reaches from Camperdown to Wingello covering seven Division areas. These Divisions have a close working relationship with SSWAHS.
Southern Highlands Division has a long established and close working relationship with the Wingecarribee section of the Area Health Service.
This relationship includes:
- a fully integrated diabetes service which is based on the CARDIAB data base
- an integrated program for secondary prevention in ischaemic heart disease to also be based on the CARDIAB data base
- the supply of medical services to the local CAPAC (Community Acute Post Acute Care) and the Palliative Care Program operated by the Area Health Service
- the Division's After Hours Service being designed to reduce the GP patient load on the Bowral Hospital Emergency Department as well as meeting GP and community needs
- regular Liaison Committee Meetings with the Area Health Service representative
- the Division is located in the grounds of Bowral Hospital
- close working relations between GPs and the Community Health Service and the Mental Health Service.
Being a rural area, Division members provide VMO services to the local hospital at Bowral (BDH). This includes 7 GPs providing one admitting officer at all times; four GPs providing low risk obstetric care; one GP surgeon. A number of members act as Medical Officers in the hospital Emergency Department. Members also serve on Area Health Service Committees including standing committees such as Quality Assurance and Clinical Council and various ad hoc committees."
In reading this one would think that this is an organisation that has the interest of all its patients and residents at heart. With such an involvement with SSWAHS and with such a "long established and close working relationship" with SSWAHS, one could be excused for thinking that with all those Highlands general practitioners, and especially those acting as emergency department doctors, Visiting Medical Officers, members of Standing Committees, and working in the Maternity Ward, they would have been advocates for their patients at the "save our hospital and health services" rally a couple of months ago. Apart from an orthopaedic surgeon, already known for his advocacy, there was no obvious representation from local general practitioners and none from their Division, which is situated on the grounds of Bowral Hospital courtesy of SSWAHS. There has been no public outrage from the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice and nor should we expect to see any for they tread the safe path.
Perhaps their Executive Officer and their Board should take the time to review their Division's Mission Statement and decide on whether they truly assist their members to provide the "optimum care to health consumers in the Southern Highlands area." It may be time that the Division and its Board recognize that they also have a responsibility to the residents of the Highlands to advocate more strongly to SSWAHS for the rights of those health consumers to have the treatments they need here - in the Southern Highlands! Perhaps now is the time for the Division to bite the hand that feeds it.
The mission of the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice is to assist local general practitioners in providing optimum care to health consumers in the Southern Highlands area."
Is it really so, Executive Director and Board members of the Southern Highlands Division of General Practice?
