At last there has been some positive news for a local committee that have been campaigning for a specialist health service for over eight years.
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While the Parkinson’s Disease support group haven’t yet got the Specialist Neurological Nurse (SNN) they want, they have acquired two Outreach Clinics a year, and an information and education session for the Telehealth service.
Seven weeks ago the group met with Barnaby Joyce and then Rural Health Minister Bridget McKenzie to put forward their case.
The Rural Health portfolio was stripped from cabinet by new PM Scott Morrison last week, although Ms McKenzie “remains responsible for rural health”.
While Ms McKenzie promised to contact state health minister Brad Hazzard and get back to the committee within a month, nothing has been heard by either the committee, or Hunter New England Health, who have arranged the clinics.
The campaigners have suffered several setbacks over the years, including the loss of the visiting specialist nurses from Newcastle, although that decision has now been reversed.
Hunter New England Health executive director Susan Heyman confirming the clinics will see specialist clinicians coming to Tamworth and providing clinics with local staff twice a year.
“The first clinic will be held in November at the Clinics Building at the hospital,” she said.
“Patients can either self refer or be referred by their GP.”
Ms Heyman will also be using the clinic to educate residents about the Telehealth phone service, after it was made clear at the meeting with Senator McKenzie that the service was not well known.
For committee president John Crosby the clinics “are a good step forward” towards getting a permanent SNN.
“It shows that they are at least trying to do something in the short term – we understand that they are not going to produce a permanent nurse without testing the water first,” he said.
“The clinics will show how great the demand is here, and hopefully that bolsters the movement.”
While Ms Heyman knows how much an SNN would benefit the region, ultimately she believes the position would best fit in the federally funded Primary Health Network, where it could then “link in with specialist services at the hospital.”
