ORANGE residents have expressed their passion for supporting regional health services by contributing almost $500,000 of donated equipment to the Orange Health Service.
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On Thursday several groups and businesses were honoured by Health Service staff who showed off the range of lifesaving and trauma support equipment purchased with donations over the last 12 months.
Orange Health Service general manager Catherine Nowlan said the equipment was prioritised by an in-house instruments committee made up of specialist and medical professionals who put together a wish list each year.
“We are so grateful to the people who volunteer to fundraise for the hospital and this equipment we have purchased is absolutely vital to our role where we experienced a big demand in our triage one two and three patients who come to us from across western NSW.”
Ms Nowlan said several pieces of the equipment are at the forefront of technology and not been seen in many hospitals so far.
Equipment donated ranges from a heating blanket used under patients undergoing several hours of surgery, to ocular pressure testers to monitor oxygen to the brain, and portable ultrasound equipment for intensive care.
Also purchased with donations is small drilling equipment for fractures of limbs of young children.
Bladder scanners to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of bladder conditions and prostate cancer as well as equipment to monitor babies and take blood samples in utero were also purchased with donations.
Orange Canobolas Lions Club for the second year in a row paid for staff development giving opportunities for staff to attend specialist training.
Orange Canobolas Lions Club president Norm Bembrick said the club has contributed to staff training for the last two years.
“We have donated $5000 this year and are committing to it again next year,” Mr Bembrick said.
Equipment which improves the experience and outcomes for patients requiring radiotherapy is now also up and running at the hospital with a head and neck mask which is able to be secured to a table to maximise accuracy of radiotherapy treatment in the linear accelerator.
The latest round of equipment purchased was made possible with funds raised by Orange Hospital Auxiliary, Blue Ladies and Men, Premi-Babes, Friends Assisting the Community, Orange Health Service Health Council, Cadia Valley Operations, Canobolas Lions Club and McCormack Barber Real Estate.
janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au