It’s not like we’ve been banging on about it for years with long-standing community concerns about the state of the Pambula Hospital and its future.

It’s a shame it took such a distressing story as Margaret Kirkwood’s to escalate the matter in the eyes of Southern NSW Local Health District management.

However, now that it is on the agenda, let’s keep it there.

Last Thursday’s meeting between Fairfax Media and SNSWLHD chief executive Janet Compton was revealing on several fronts.

She again apologised for the experience Ms Kirkwood had at the Pambula assessment, treatment and care facility. However, she acknowledged the result has been a renewed focus on awareness and action on what needs to be done to fix the situation.

A public information campaign will spread like an antibiotics-resistant bug from next week with flyers distributed right across the Valley.

The information brochures will outline what type of medical issues the nurse-led ATC centre at Pambula can assist with, as opposed to the issues people should take directly to the regional hospital near Bega.

According to the flyer, experienced registered nurses at Pambula can treat minor burns, simple wounds, uncomplicated pain, ear ache, minor rash, head injury (mild/minor), insect/tick bites, blue bottle stings, minor limb injuries  with no obvious breaks as there are no X-ray facilities onsite, minor respiratory illness, urinary symptoms, mild vomiting and diarrhoea.

However, there’s fine print to say conditions including the above that have symptoms outside set protocols will still require referral to the SERH.

Perhaps more importantly, and thankfully, a continuity of care model is to be implemented at Pambula, so that if your issue is one the nurses are not able to help with, your trip to Bega is part of the service and you aren’t sent on your own way as has been the case in several instances reported on these pages.

The LHD is also flagging a trial of additional patient transport between Pambula and the SERH over summer months.

Perhaps you feel more needs to be done to ensure Pambula Hospital’s future as a valued and valuable addition to the health needs of the Valley – but at least it appears someone is listening, for now.