GOULBURN MP Pru Goward and local renal patients have labelled Bowral Hospital’s Renal Unit a waste.
“The hard fought for renal dialysis service at Bowral Hospital is a patient-free area, sitting idly in the Short Stay Ward,” Ms Goward said.
“What a shocking waste of expensive equipment, not to mention the hard work that went into raising $500,000 to provide this service,” she said.
Highlands resident Michael Richardson, who is in need of renal dialysis three times a week, said he had been “barred” from using the facility.
Mr Richardson was self-dialysing at Bowral until recently, when he developed complications and needed medical supervision.
Since then, the problems had been resolved and Mr Richardson had hoped to return to the local hospital.
But he was upset he had to travel to Campbelltown because he was “not wanted” at Bowral.
Ms Goward said Mr Richardson was the only local patient who had ever been able to use the facilities, despite the unit operating for two years.
In Februrary, the News reported the case of Barbara Clarke, who was forced to travel to Concord Hospital for treatment.
Southern Highlands Renal Appeal chairman Bob Barrett said the community raised $650,000 in the past eight years to establish the renal unit at Bowral Hospital.
He said the Sydney South West Area Health Service (SSWAHS) had asked for only $105,000 of the funds.
“We are rather anxious for them to take the rest,” he said.
Mr Barrett wanted only to see - the funds put to use, paying for equipment that would be used.
“They are turning patients away and saying ‘do it at home’,” he said.
Ms Goward questioned why the Health Service could not provide a renal nurse to staff the unit.
“The Health Minister needs to explain why she will not sanction training for nurses to enable them to assist dialysis patients at Bowral Hospital”, she said.
“There is clearly a need yet, for some reason, the Minister would rather allow expensive equipment to go to waste while patients drive three times a week to Campbelltown for dialysis.”
Mr Richardson’s mother, Margaret, said renal patients such as her son needed medical support from a nurse even if they were able to self-dialyse.
“If an alarm goes off, she’s got to know what that alarm is and what to do,” Mrs Richardson said.
Mr Richardson said patients also needed support to recover blood sugars and liquids during and after the procedure.
Mrs Richardson said lives were being put at risk by the need to travel to Liverpool in emergencies.
“There is no emergency plan for renal patients in the Southern Highlands,” she said.
She questioned why a nurse could not travel from Campbelltown on set days in a trial for local patients.
“They say it is too far for a nurse to travel,” she said. “If it’s too far for a nurse, it’s too far for a patient.”
A SSWAHS spokesman said patients were better off travelling because of the care available at other hospitals.
“Bowral and District Hospital is networked with larger hospitals like Campbelltown, where patients can receive their dialysis in a dedicated unit staffed by renal physicians and specialist nurses.”
Socrates says: "I wonder if the SSWAHS spokesman has ever travelled between their Liverpool SSWAHS base and Bowral. Great reality check for SSWAHS that comment by Mrs Richardson in her final quote above."
