Shire needs regional hospital
The equitable provision of medical services is a complex and expensive responsibility for our governments.
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This requires equal access for the population from south of Narooma to Batemans Bay without costly and clinically inefficient duplication.
The argument (Bay Post/Moruya Examiner, September 26) concerning the need for a CT scanner at Batemans Bay Hospital and a second MRI machine is a divisive and diversionary strategy by both political parties which ignores the genuine problems and solutions. The demand for a second CT scanner and a second MRI machine is a one-dimensional and clinically flawed tactic to restrain medical development in the Eurobodalla. It is a bandaid solution to a problem requiring rational clinical investigation,diagnosis and treatment. Large areas of rural NSW work effectively using a hub-and-spoke model of services and modern teleconferencing. As far as stroke services are concerned, there is evidence in the Hunter/New England region which does not rely on CT scanners in hospitals 20 minutes apart.
A new MRI machine would cost $3 million plus the expense of housing. How many nurses could be employed with $3 million?
Are there any models of health service (in NSW) relying on two hospitals 20 minutes apart? There are large regional hospitals approximately every two hours until the Shoalhaven, after which the Eurobodalla is overlooked until Bega.
Consider the improvement if a single regional Eurobodalla hospital was developed. The combined services at Batemans Bay and Moruya hospitals equal or outnumber those of established regional or base hospitals.
There is no possibility of increased service or role delineation for either hospital without a combination of resources. There will be no ability to attract specialist medical, surgical, anaesthetic or nursing practitioners. This pork barrelling is populist medico-political polemic which will delay long-term expansion of health services to the entire (shire).
There needs to be a rational debate with representation from our local politicians to steer services from parochialism to something for the greater good of the region.
Please add your support to One New Eurobodalla Hospital on Facebook.
Dr Michael Holland
Moruya
Not just for ‘brainy’ students
The Batemans Bay Youth Foundation is well into its new cycle for grants payable first semester 2019.
The application form, which can be obtained from www.bbyf.org.au has been updated and simplified, as have the relevant instructions.
High School Year 12s have been visited and the scope and purpose of the grants explained, so we are anticipating a large number of applications.
Grants are not the prerogative of “brainy” students. As long as the university of the student's choice has offered a place, and the student wants to accept it, but is held back by financial concerns, the foundation is happy to step in, in the form of a grant. Unfortunately, we cannot give all deserving applicants a grant, but do the best we can.
The 2018 intake of grant recipients performed extremely well in their first semester. From 11 recipients, the results were impressive: two High Distinctions, 13 Distinctions, 20 Credits, and 8 passes. All sailed into the second semester feeling confident. There was no stand-out student: Harry Hadley, Meg McCallum, Casey Evans, Leon Katsanis, and Jennifer May all finished first or equal second.
From February, 2019, there will be two Excellence Prizes of $1000 each awarded to the best in freshman year, one for Sciences and one for Humanities. Students now in their freshman year will be eligible. The first prize is a memorial prize in the name of the late Alex Taylor AO, former foundation chairman, and the second is in the name of Peter Wood OAM, the current Chairman.
The winners will have a windfall send-off to the second year.
The Foundation relies up to a point on the interest it earns from its investments. This source of revenue, over the last few years, has almost disappeared. Pensioners and charities have been slugged by the same hammer, and I am sure there are many people out there who feel as frustrated as we do. All they can do is to see their precious capital slowly exhausted.
Peter Wood OAM
Batemans Bay Youth Foundation chairman
Not happy with roadworks
The top is once again lifting off the road at the Candlagan Creek bridge on Beach Road.
The potholes further up the Beach Road hill have never been properly repaired and are a constant danger to cyclists.
So we're due for another half-baked ESC repair job, just like the last one. A bit of tar will be splashed around, topped off with a thick layer of loose gravel. The gravel will not be rolled. And the potholes up the rise will go unseen.
Given the sharp bend at the north of the bridge, cyclists and motor cyclists will be at risk of crashing in the gravel, perhaps being run over - and anyone in the vicinity at risk of a sharp gravel spray.
Why can't the ESC do a proper job? Roll the gravel or, better still, use hot-mix - and repair the potholes.