Representatives of every medical centre in Orange attended a meeting last week to hear details of the scheme that could finally bring a palliative care venue to the city.

Dudley Private Hospital, owned by Ramsay Health Care, has proposed a four-room centre for public and private patients.

Dr Ken Hazelton told the meeting many doctors were not allowed to admit their palliative care patients to the Orange Health Service public hospital.

“They are excluded at the moment from direct involvement with the patient or the family if they go to the public hospital,” he said.

“So I am very positive that this model of care which will allow our GPs to admit public as well as private patients to Dudley, into a quiet, private and appropriate setting for the end of their life, is a step in the right direction.”

Chair of Orange Push for Palliative Jenny Hazelton said the doctors’ response was heartening.

“We could not be more thrilled with the response from the GPs … who have showed a real willingness they wish to become more involved in the palliation of their patients,” she said.

Prudence Buist, acting clinical services director at Dudley Private Hospital, said she had begun talks with the Western NSW Local Health District [WNSWLHD] about funding the beds and rooms at Dudley and payment of doctors.

She said the model already existed in NSW between the Wagga Wagga-based Murrumbidgee Local Health District and the Calvary Health Care private hospital.

“We are trying to liaise with the local health district at the moment and have outlined we can provide four designated rooms with all the appropriate ‘wrap-around’ services needed by patients and their families at the end of life,” she said.

Member for Orange and Orange palliative care task force convener Philip Donato said they now needed the WNSWLHD’s support.

“We’ve got the support of Dudley who are ready to make available four beds at their facility for both public and private patients,” he said.

“We’ve got [about] 15 doctors locally who are interested in getting involved in this.

“We’ve got the community’s support, so now really the ball’s in the local health district’s court.”

He said the taskforce was still committed to an eight-bed hospice in Orange and saw Dudley’s offer as a prototype.

“It can happen fairly quickly, it is just a matter of going through the administrative process,” he said.

A public forum on palliative care services will be held at Orange Ex-Services’ Club on Sunday.