Page 2022 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 7 June 2017
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My constituent wrote to me, and I quote:
I have a son who … is now over 18 so requires regular visits to a psychiatrist to write prescriptions and monitor his progress. Since he turned 16 I have had to travel to consult two specialists in Sydney as the paediatricians at the Canberra Hospital will not treat patients after they turn 16.
But the lack of services is not limited to paediatric psychiatry services. What about this constituent’s circular dilemma in relation to his son who, and I quote again:
… is trying to get off his drug habit … he cannot go to rehab because he cannot get into detox which is a pre requirement … they would put him on a maintenance program which rehab will not recognise.
Another constituent has written to me about his experience in Calvary hospital after a debilitating stroke, which resulted in his left side being paralysed. I will not read the rather graphic words, Madam Assistant Speaker, but allow me to paraphrase them. Among his concerns were the state of the equipment, the limited English of some of the staff he had to deal with, a lack of timely nursing attention and not even help to return him to bed when he had fallen out.
Here is another one I quote:
Ms Fitzharris is wrong when she says that there is no evidence of patients being sent home early when they are NOT yet well enough nor safe to travel. I myself had 3 occasions in the last 12 months when I was sent home from hospital far too early.
Without going into too much detail on this case, it involved infections arising after surgery which, ultimately, in the words of the patient, “exploded”, resulting in her needing five months of community nursing to treat the infection to the point of healing.
Another constituent approached me about her daughter’s condition and treatment, which required specialist services. Despite many attempts, including through referrals and even an application to ACT Health for a care package, my constituent’s daughter was unable to get appointments, including almost six months of no response from one specialist area.
There are many other cases like this that I receive on an almost daily basis. These matters I always refer to the minister for some feedback and some assistance, but the stream of those does not diminish. These are the people that I am concerned about. It does not matter whether we spend $1.1 billion, $1.2 billion or $1.8 billion if the people who are paying for those services are not getting the services that they need.
There is a regular train of people to my offices and other members’ offices to complain about the lack of reliable services or the inappropriateness of services that
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