By Renee Wood
The meeting between Services for Healesville Hospital Action Group (SHHAG) and the Health Minister’s team has gone ahead to discuss the need for Healesville to be included in the Urgent Care Services roll out.
The government is currently analysing suitable locations for future sites, with ten further areas to be announced as part of a recent funding announcement.
It’s hoped this meeting will be beneficial in sharing why the region is in need with the group raising key concerns in support of a Urgent Care Facility.
The seven key points provided during the meeting on Monday 12 September are as follows:
1. The area needs equitable access to Urgent Care. and it is disadvantaged compared to the much smaller rural populations being supported by the current 63 UCCs.
2. Healesville is a rural environment and it is an anomaly that because it is incorporated into a Metropolitan Health Network it became considered an urban area.
3. The population demographics of the 30,000 residents in Healesville, and surrounding communities, compared to Greater Melbourne statistically showing that the town has high health needs with a greater proportion of the population over 60 and 74 plus and a higher number under 18, a large Aboriginal population and high tourists numbers.
4. The taxpayers have already invested $10 million dollars into Healesville Hospital and Yarra Valley Health redevelopment between 2013-2017. An urgent care service was needed in 2012, a decade on it is needed more. The site already has most of the infrastructure needed.
5. Access to GP bulk billing is declining and the ratio of GP’s to residents is growing bigger meaning longer appointment waits and now higher out of pocket expenses for a GP consultation.
6. UCC’s model is operated by a registered nurse, with specialist RIPIN training. Nurses assess and triage care, do x-rays, take and test bloods etc, prescribe agreed medications etc. Healesville has a highly skilled and experienced nursing workforce and many nurses live in the EMR and Shire of Yarra Ranges, UCC uses skilled nurses offering a new career pathway and SHHAG believes this will help retain these vital staff.
7. In July SHHAG members had an hour long meeting with EH CEO and executive staff members and discussed their push for a UCC and urged this as part of the new Clinical Services Plan.
Chairperson Jane Judd believes this is an equity issue and 42 minutes is simply too long to drive to an emergency department.
“This is a health and safety issue, an economic and tourism essential. Visitors, 10,000 a year, expect if they have a minor accident at the Sanctuary, they can get help locally and continue to enjoy the beautiful Yarra Valley, not have to pack up and sit in an ED department for hours,” she said.
The community has been thanked for its support as the group continues to push for more services locally.
