News
Rann Government destroys health system |
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Under the Rann Government’s Country Health Care Plan, 43 of the State’s 66 country hospitals will be downgraded to little more than first aid posts.
South Australian holidaymakers count for more than 3.4 million overnight stays in the State each year, according to tourism figures.
In an unprecedented move, the State Liberals, the Rural Doctors’ Association and the Rural Division of General Practice have united to condemn the cuts, which will hurt regional communities and those who visit them.
Country doctors are warning they will resign if the cuts proceed while the issue will be added to a SA Division of General Practice forum in Adelaide today.
Opposition Leader Martin Hamilton-Smith said all South Australians deserved access to quality health care.
“Regardless of whether you live or are on holidays in the country you need to know that you and your family won’t have to travel hundreds of kilometres for expert medical care,” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.
“Premier Rann’s short-sighted, City-centric cut to country health ignores the fact that thousands of South Australians holiday around our state every year.
“Where will these travellers go if they are seriously injured, sick or in distress?
“Premier Rann has blown the Budget on trams to the Entertainment Centre – and left little money to fund country health.
“The Government has alienated City doctors over poor wages and conditions and now has insulted hard-working country doctors by downgrading their hospitals.
“The case for scrapping the $1.9 billion Marj and investing that money in doctors, nurses, regional health and cutting hospital waiting lists is overwhelming.”
Dr Alison Edwards, medical director with the Mid North Division of Rural Medicine (part of the Division of GPs), has warned she will resign if the cuts are implemented.
“As a GP I have served the Port Broughton for 14 years and the Government’s Health Plan will devastate our community,” Dr Edwards said.
“I will be able to treat my patients but not be able to admit them to hospital locally.
“I have placed my hospital on notice that it’s my intention to resign if the Health Care Plan proceeds in its current format because I cannot offer continuity of care.”
Rural Doctors’ Association of SA president Dr Steve Holmes said the skills of doctors will “wither and die” without access to country hospitals to utilise their expertise.
“People in country towns will lose doctors and a level of health services that city people take for granted,” Dr Holmes said.
“The removal of acute services from hospitals will place an extra burden on ambulance retrievals and force patients and their families to travel hundreds of kilometres.
“That is an unacceptable standard of care in Australia today.
“The Government has implemented these reforms without consulting rural communities or the doctors who work in them.”
Watch Dr Edwards and Dr Holmes speak with Martin Hamilton-Smith
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