The Editor,
It is always a pleasure to write about positive matters.
We might be a small community but sometimes the community spirit is large.
This was demonstrated at the Great Southern Inn last week, where an assortment of community groups assembled to be part of the $15,000 Wishing Well, generously sponsored by South East Fibre Export and the Magnet.
The Sapphire Coast Concert Band is one of these groups and we wish to express our heartfelt thanks for the whopping amount of $1249 we received.
Our wish will now be realised to freight our timpani drums to Sydney to be fitted with new skins and have repairs carried out on the foot pedals.
The SCCB, which is a non profit group, is community focussed and performs at many local events.
While the band provides valuable, educational and enjoyable services to the community it also offers its members great personal satisfaction and development through music and belonging to a diverse group with a common interest.
This is what community spirit is all about.
For anyone looking to be part of this spirit, the SCCB is always looking to recruit new members.
Once our newly serviced timpani drums are back in use, we will be looking to recruit a new player.
No prior experience is required; just a basic understanding of written music, a desire to learn to play the timpani and a strong sense of community.
Thanks again to South East Fibre Export and the Magnet.
Robyn McLaughlin
Kiah
The Editor
I write to draw attention to government folly by pursuing the establishment of a “new” hospital for Bega Valley Shire.
How many “new” hospitals need to be built in Bega? The proposed “new” hospital will be the third in my lifetime.
The proposed hospital, at a cost of $100,000,000 will only deliver 41 more beds than currently exists between Bega and Pambula hospitals. Very poor economics.
Reconsider the following. The location of the current Bega hospital allows for a degree of comfort for relatives of patients. It is within the town boundary, provides for nearby accommodation, easy access to doctors and associated health services, shops etc. The “old” Bega hospital was situated outside the town boundary and was deemed impractical because of that. Currently the proposal is to place the “new” hospital even further outside the town boundary.
Redevelopment of the current hospital site could easily include undercover parking beneath newly constructed buildings, which could be built several stories high, rather than expanding a lower levels structure.
Retention of the existing Pambula hospital must be part of the equation for a “new” Bega hospital. Pambula hospital restored to it’s full service capacity, along with being extended to include such things as “Community Care services” would make it a most invaluable adjunct to the proposed “new” Bega hospital. Retention of fully restored services at Pambula hospital will ensure retention of a full requisite of doctors and services to the residents of all areas south of Bega township. The proposed development of a new, large Aged Care facility in Eden, plus existing establishments in Eden, Pambula and Merimbula, require the retention of Pambula hospital and all medical services existing in Merimbula, Pambula and Eden. Dismiss the Greater Southern Area Health Service, as a taxpayer I cannot afford their gross incompetence, which blunder on, at ever increasing costs, for ever decreasing results. Reinstate the once successful “Hospital Board” system, which was entirely sourced from local people and was greatly successful, along with the efforts of local hospital auxiliaries.
Elizabeth Cameron
Kiah
The Editor
I would like to reply to comments made by Dr Les Woollard, President of the RDA (NSW) last Wednesday on ABC radio in regard to the current debate over Obstetric Services in the Bega Valley.
His credibility as an intermediary between the State Government and Greater Southern Area Health Service over the matter has been seriously brought into question, in the light of those comments.
And here is why.
Dr Woollard stated that he had consulted widely with doctors over the issue of Obstetric services in the Bega Valley, including GP Obstetricians in Bega and concluded that the only doctor satisfied with the single site Obstetric service was myself.
I have confirmed with Drs Patti Salisbury and John Marshman, the two currently resident practicing GP Obstetricians, that neither have ever had any communication, regarding this issue with Dr Woollard over the past several years.
Dr Marshman had phoned Dr Ian Kammerman, acting RDA president in Dr Woollard’s absence, to express his concern over the RDAs handling of the issue and to state that, despite the problems with maintaining the current single site service at Bega, a return to a dual site service (Bega and Pambula) would be even less sustainable at this point in time and a backward step.
Dr Salisbury informed me that she had sent a letter early last week to the RDA (NSW) criticizing their biased stand on the issue and had outlined her reasons for supporting the single site service.
She has not spoken or otherwise communicated with either Dr Woollard or Dr Kammerman.
Dr Woollard did manage to contact a Bega GP, who has not practiced Obstetrics for some 10 years, and according to the GP, nothing he had said would have given Dr Woollard the impression that he supported a return to a dual service.
Interestingly Dr Woollard made much during his radio interview of my no longer being a GP in what I can only view as an attempt to undermine my credibility as a commentator on certain matters.
Yet the only Bega GP he spoke with, other than myself, has not practiced obstetrics for over 10 years and did not support Dr Woollards stance.
In summary the extent of Dr Woollard’s active consultation with Bega doctors, has been a phone conversation with a former GP Obstetrician from Bega.
Every other communication from Bega doctors, including my own, have been initiated by the Bega doctors themselves, and have been critical of the RDAs stance.
If these details are correct and I have no reason to doubt the word of my three Bega colleagues, then Dr Woollard’s credibility in this matter lies in tatters.
Dr Woollard has continually referred to me publicly as an individual and rarely as the Chair of the Bega Hospital Medical Staff Council.
I view this as another attempt to marginalize and isolate me by stating that no other doctor shares my position.
I am Chair of the Bega Medical Staff Council, and to the best of my knowledge I still carry a mandate to express the representative views of my affiliated colleagues.
If I am the only one who is on this side of the debate then why are all the Bega doctors, not publicly denouncing my stance and flocking to Dr Woollard’s side?
Perhaps they are content for me to represent them as I am doing and to take all the flak that goes with it.
With so much venom and spittle flying around, I don’t blame them.
It is a frequently noted observation that those who feel something is being taken away from them will collectively protest far more loudly and bitterly than those who are identified as the supposed beneficiaries and have nothing to gain from such protest.
Much has been made by Dr Woollard of my use of the term “medical terrorism”.
I accept that it was emotive and unhelpful.
I withdraw it and offer the more generic term “hardline industrial action” in its place.
One last point, Dr Woollard.
Do the opinions of women from all over the region, represented by the community organisation “Birth Central”, figure in your assessment of the situation and subsequent campaign?
How many inconvenient truths will the RDA attempt to sidestep in the relentless pursuit of its political agenda?
As many as it possibly can, I suspect.
This letter has been forwarded to the Bega District News, Merimbula Weekly News and Eden Magnet.
Dr Gabe Khouri
Bega