The State Labor Government’s newly launched Country Health Plan has been dubbed Black Friday for rural health services.
The plan, which was slipped into the public eye just behind the State budget announcements on Wednesday, will see millions of dollars spent on modernising Whyalla Hospital and enhancing services in Berri, Mt Gambier and Port Lincoln, while stripping away facilities from the majority of remaining country hospitals.
Through the government’s reform plans, 66 country hospitals will be integrated into a three-tier health system – the “strategically placed” big four, complemented by community hospitals in larger regional towns (Clare and Port Pirie) and “GP Plus” facilities in smaller communities (the remaining hospitals in the region).
Health Minister John Hill said emergency services would still be available at all hospitals, and through the new plan, country communities would be able to access more health services at general hospitals, reducing the need to travel to Adelaide.
Neither the Liberal Opposition nor the Rural Doctor’s Association are impressed with the scheme, believing rural communities are likely to become even more disadvantaged when it comes to health care.
“The new Health Care Act, passed a few months ago, abolished country hospital boards,” Shadow Health Minister Vickie Chapman said.
“Now country communities are left without a voice and no one to fight for them.”
Ms Chapman said she believed the governance restructure had been deliberate and effective in silencing critics, particularly as all staff employed in country hospitals were now employed by the health chief executive officer.
She said country people were already facing debt and distress from the drought.
“It is insulting to now make them pay to travel long distances for health services.”
For most of the rural population of SA, it will be closer and cheaper to travel to Adelaide than the nearest regional hospital.
Member for Frome Rob Kerin accused the State Government of pork barrelling. The larger regional areas, which will have their services improved under the plans, are in Labor-held seats.
“Cabinet Members Rory McEwin and Karlene Maywald are looked after with Berri and Mt Gambier being two of the four areas to get extra services,” he said.
“The Labor-held seat of Giles is looked after at Whyalla and thankfully, Port Lincoln is also included.”
Mr Kerin said one of the greatest challenges in rural communities was getting doctors to live and work in the local area. He said the new plan would make that task incredibly harder now that many country hospitals would not be able to offer them greater experience.
Clare doctor and Rural Doctors Association of SA president Steve Holmes said the new health care plan would destroy hospital and health services in small rural communities.
He said it also threatened to drive doctors and other rural health professionals out of country areas and rip the heart and soul from small towns.
“Since the news of the plans was released some doctors have already threatened to leave rural towns,” Dr Holmes said.
He said 43 of the State’s regional hospitals would lose, or have their current acute services seriously downgraded, affecting emergency and procedural care.
“The hub model is fine if you live in the city, if you have good public transport – but it doesn’t work when you have to travel, sometimes hundreds of kilometres
to your nearest hub,” he said.
Association national president Peter Rischbieth fears the plan could lead to the death of some South Australians because patients would need to be ferried to bigger hospitals where services are already struggling to meet demand.
Australian Medical Association president Dr Peter Ford said some medical practices in country towns were currently on the margins of viability, so the loss of a hospital would have a significant impact.
“Decisions about country health services should take social considerations into account – not just hospital occupancy rates.”
The Mid North Division of Rural Medicine is also gravely concerned by the potential of many of the structure and service changes envisaged in the new plan.
“The proposed changes to rural hospitals within the Mid North region see only the Clare and Port Pirie hospitals retaining their exiting levels of service.”
Mid and Lower North Hospitals to be affected by becoming “GP plus emergency hospitals” under the plan – Balaklava, Booleroo Centre, Burra, Crystal Brook, Eudunda, Hawker, Jamestown, Kapunda, Laura, Orroroo, Port Broughton, Quorn, Riverton, Snowtown.