On behalf of councils, The Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) chairman Mayor Rick Firman OAM and his Board have endorsed the findings of the Rural Health Action Plan, with the exception of its’ call for “an independent commissioner”, which the CMA deems unnecessary.
“The ‘Better Care, Closer to Home’ Alliance’s Rural Health Action Plan, as proposed by Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr MP, aligns with the key priorities and concerns of CMA Members and their communities,” Cr Firman said.
“We have written to Minister for Regional Health, the Hon Ryan Park MP, to commend the practicalities and affordability of the plan’s reforms to him.
“I understand Dr McGirr has put the plan to Minister Park in writing, and they have had an initial discussion about it. I’m confident that constructive discourse will continue.
“People in rural and regional health services work hard and do the best they can, but there’s no denying the system is crook and band-aid solutions are increasingly costly and short-term, like the locum situation.
“Greater collaboration between all aspects of the health sector is needed, including allied health service providers, as is better communication between health services and their communities.”
Cr Firman said the CMA motto is “what we want is nothing more than equity”.
“That extends to access to critical health services,” he said.
“While we appreciate that there are currently parts of Sydney facing a shortage of doctors, we believe this is not as serious an access or equity issue as a rural mother-to-be having to drive more than 100km to reach a hospital with obstetric services.”
The CMA believes the Rural Health Action Plan is practical and promotes collaboration.
“We acknowledge that treatment and health access can involve a range of contemporary approaches, including pharmacy and nurse practitioners.
“However, these should help lighten an unsustainable load for a rural GP, not replace them.
“If there is one GP in a town, the days of demanding 24/7 access to them all year round is unsustainable and consequently retention becomes a bigger problem than recruitment.”
The CMA has recently partnered with the Rural Doctors Network (RDN) on a Health Access Survey.
The survey sought to obtain perspectives on health access from member councils.
More than two thirds of members responded.
“We are currently collating those responses to form a picture of service provision and interaction in remote, rural and regional NSW,” Cr Firman said.
“It is our understanding that this is the first time in Australia that a survey of this nature has been undertaken.
“The CMA will use the results to determine future advocacy activities, while the RDN will utilise the results to inform its strategic direction and project planning.”
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