Two Batemans Bay doctors are angry about what they say is “pointless parochialism” driving health services south to Moruya.
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As the Southern NSW Local Health District launches a review of services, GPs Andrew Gibson and David Rivett are calling for an independent umpire.
Dr Rivett said past decisions had been skewed.
“There’s been pointless parochialism driving things south,” Dr Rivett said.
“We haven’t seen a fair go for the population living in the northern part of the shire. We both want an independent and unbiased review.”
All doctors working at the [Batemans Bay] hospital have fears for the long-term future of the hospital
- Dr David Rivett
Dr Gibson said most residents lived in the north: about 17,000 around Batemans Bay, compared to 7000 around Moruya and 6000 around Narooma.
“The resources don’t end up in Batemans Bay; that’s unacceptable,” Dr Gibson said.
Dr Rivett said an independent demographer with health expertise should determine where services were located.
“All doctors working at the [Batemans Bay] hospital have fears for the long-term future of the hospital,” he said.
It’s ridiculous ... if we sent them down to Moruya for a scan we would run out of time
- Dr Andrew Gibson
“It is absurd there are two CAT scanners in Moruya.”
Dr Rivett said a feasibility study showed a CAT scanner in Batemans Bay would have been cost effective, but authorities refused to release the study.
“They say it is in-house and in-confidence … it should be a publicly available document,” Dr Rivett said.
There is not enough use of this scanner to support an additional one at Batemans Bay Hospital
- Health Department
On, Monday, March 5, 2018, he said ongoing frustration at the lack of a public, modern cat scanner in Batemans Bay had brought planning issues to a head: someone pulled from an accident on the Kings Highway or a Bay resident who suffered a stroke had to be sent to the ACT or Moruya Hospital by ambulance for a scan.
“It’s ridiculous. Some strokes can be treated by dissolving the clot. You have a four-hour window to do this – it is time-critical,” Dr Gibson said.
He said stroke victims at Batemans Bay were flown to Canberra and were CAT-scanned there.
“If we sent them down to Moruya for a scan we would run out of time,” Dr Gibson said.
If locals want to have a say, now is the time
- Dr David Rivett
It is understood an older CAT scanner has been moved to a private practice in Batemans Bay, but Dr Gibson said that was no substitute for a modern diagnostic machine at the public hospital.
Dr Rivett said the review closed in May and both doctors called for residents to be heard.
“It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the oil,” Dr Rivett said.
“If locals want to have a say, now is the time.”
Health Department responds
A Southern NSW Local Health District spokeswoman said the scanner at Moruya – “providing an improved service to all Eurobodalla residents” – began operation last September thanks to $2.3 million funding by the NSW Government.
“There is not enough use of this scanner to support an additional one at Batemans Bay Hospital at this stage,” she said.
She said the NSW Government announced funding of $500,00 to advance health service planning, and community consultation sessions would be held from March 9 to 16; clinicians and health workers would also be consulted.
She said the results would inform priorities for the region’s future healthcare needs. A survey has been created for those unable to attend in person: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Eurocommunity.
