Mp Hits Out Over Dialysis Unit Fiasco
Sun Herald
Sunday June 15, 2008
THE State Government's refusal to establish a renal unit in a southern NSW town has been described as "inhumane". Six residents of Cooma travel to Canberra for dialysis up to three times a week each. A local nurse also makes the trip to oversee the treatment of her six neighbours.
The Opposition's Melinda Pavey, duty MLC for the seat of Monaro, said the State Government paid the ACT $3.2 million a year to provide dialysis to NSW residents.As well, it paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in transport costs, with $1070 the typical bill for a return trip in an ambulance.Ms Pavey said it would cost between $300,000 and $500,000 to set up a unit at Cooma Hospital.An ACT Government spokesman said 93 out of the 262 patients on dialysis in the 10 months to the end of April were from NSW.Ms Pavey said: "We are spending more to treat NSW patients in Canberra than it would cost to provide dialysis at the Cooma Hospital. "It is inhumane to continue forcing people to drive for hours every week to receive this life-saving treatment."A spokeswoman for Health Minister Reba Meagher said the Government was committed to improving access to dialysis services closer to home for NSW residents.
© 2008 Sun Herald
