Now you might think that old Socrates is just gnawing on the bones of SSWAHS with the previous posts on this blog. Happily, I can tell you that there's still a lot of meaty bits on the bones of SSWAHS as we will see in the future.
However, let me be quick to make the point about the SSWAHS staff, particularly those who live and work in the Southern Highlands. Generally, they are faultless - with a work ethic that would shame the SSWAHS executive and bureaucrats in Liverpool and beyond. Apart from the exception of the person described in an earlier post, they do their work and make do with the very little that the SSWAHS administration provides to them.
There are people in both Bowral Hospital and the Community Health Centre who have spent many years engaging with their community, listening to their community and delivering to the best of their abilities the sort of quality health services that local people have expected and needed. In fact, the reason that Bowral Hospital and the community health services have been financially supported by the local community and businesses, to purchase equipment and develop specialist services, has been because of the respect that the community has for their District Hospital and its staff. Nursing, medical, allied health, and hotel services staff have all contributed their best in the care they deliver to their patients.
Too bad the same cannot be said about the executive staff of SSWAHS who rarely, if ever, even visit the Southern Highlands and, when the proverbial faeces hits the fan, they vanish like smoke and leave it to the local General Manager, Denis Thomas, to cop the flack and give the hard answers. Socrates believes that Denis Thomas doesn't get paid enough for his job! SSWAHS has put him out there with a bullseye painted on his back and nothing but an expired Harry Potter wand in his hand.
One consolation the Highlander community can have is that generally all the Wingecarribee staff are usually supportive of each other (apart from a notable exception) and remain determined to provide their best clinical and other support service to the community.
Socrates, at least, will attempt in this democracy to make his vote count in the upcoming elections, both Federal and State, to ensure that Bowral Hospital and its health services get the recognition it deserves and the local management which will give the best direction to our future in the Highlands.
Long may our democratic rights remain, and may our collective votes ensure the future growth of our local community.
And, if the Gods are really listening, perhaps they would like to send a serve of the pox on the SSWAHS Executive. :-))
