LAKE Macquarie residents will have the opportunity next month to contribute to the future of palliative care services in NSW.
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Palliative care is currently under discussion at state-wide roundtables with community and health professionals.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Hunter, Scot MacDonald, this week announced the state-wide community consultation process would come to Newcastle on Friday, June 9.
“I look forward to the localised discussions on what is working well in our area, what needs improvement, and innovative solutions to this very pressing issue,” Mr MacDonald said.
In April, Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced the summits and said they were aimed at giving medical and nursing specialists an opportunity to contribute to the government’s “new strategy for palliative care”.
The summits come amid concern about the service in parts of the Hunter.
Fairfax Media reported in April that mooted plans to replace after-hours palliative care at the Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle with a phone hotline had been scrapped after opposition from staff and the community.
And in February, Fairfax Media revealed that different parts of Lake Macquarie had unequal access to palliative care services, with residents living south of the Fennell Bay bridge having to rely on a telephone service for care outside of business hours.
Member for Lake Macqurie Greg Piper said the difference in service created a “them and us” situation in the city.
“In my electorate of Lake Macquarie I fear that services are actually being eroded rather than promoted and expanded,” he said earlier this year.
Mr Piper told state parliament he’d previously met with Cancer Council officials who had been told there were “OH&S issues” related to the service.
However Mr Piper said he’d spoken to one nurse who in 22 years had seen only one “minor assault” involving the distraught relative of a patient.
“This invaluable service not only needs to be maintained and supported, it needs to be extended,” Mr Piper said.
The service is likely to be high on the agenda at the June 9 summit.
Mr MacDonald said the palliative care roundtable program began in Sydney’s Parliament House on April 26.
“The theme for this year’s Palliative Care Awareness Week is ‘You matter, your care matters. Palliative Care can make a difference’,” Mr MacDonald said.
“The theme addresses the need for aged care services to provide palliative care where appropriate, and this is an issue which has been brought up across the state at both the metro and regional roundtables.”
Once the roundtables have concluded, NSW Health will produce a discussion paper for public comment.
The Newcastle palliative care roundtable will be held at The Greenhouse Room, Wests New Lambton Bowling Club, from 11am to 3pm
Invited participants include community organisations, health professionals, medical and nursing specialists, general practice professionals, and advocacy groups.
About 45 guests are expected to attend.
