HUNTER New England Health has been unable to fill a new palliative care role funded by the state government to help address “shocking” shortfalls in local end of life care.
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In December 2017, the state government announced it had funded a new specialist palliative care position at Tamworth hospital following campaigns by grief-stricken locals and the Cancer Council.
While it was seen as a crucial breakthrough at the time, no further progress has been made.
The role has not been filled.
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Palliation advocate and retired doctor Yvonne McMaster said it was “devastating” for the community which she had previously identified as having the lowest level of service in the state.
She didn’t believe Hunter New England Health was trying hard enough to recruit someone for the role and said it should start looking overseas for a candidate.
“Most people get to palliative medicine after they have been a doctor or specialist for quite a while,” she said.
“It’s not the sort of thing you come to as a young, starry-eyed doctor.
“So it’s hard to dislodge one in the city or find one hoping to come to Tamworth.”
She said it was a matter of getting more community pressure to help fill the job.
Hunter New England’s director of regional health, Susan Heyman, confirmed the role was still vacant and there had been challenges in recruitment.
“The position is an important and highly specialised role,” she said.
“Like other regional areas in NSW, finding appropriately skilled people to work in the area can be challenging.
“However, we are hopeful that we will have a new palliative care specialist doctor soon, as we know that this role will provide a significant boost to the many hardworking, nursing specialists, community nursing staff and GPs that are currently providing palliative care services to the area.”
In the meantime, Phil Hungerford has taken up the palliative care medical officer role as the local health district continues its recruitment drive.