Plans for public patients to receive palliative care in Dudley Private Hospital have won support from the Western NSW Local Health District [WNSWLHD].
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The Palliative Care Forum at the Orange Ex-Services’ Club on Sunday was told the WNSWLHD would prepare a business case to attract state government funding for the public-private scheme.
Under the proposal four single rooms complete with full medical support and the ability for general practitioners to care for their own patients would be established at the private hospital.
Richard Cheney, the WNSWLHD executive director Allied Health and Innovation said the private scheme would add to the services Orange hospital already provided.
“We are really keen to work on the Dudley scheme,” he said.
Mr Cheney said they had been in talks with Dudley Private Hospital officials and had studied how a similar scheme works in Wagga Wagga.
He said they had worked out costs to make a submission for funds.
“We are now starting to prepare the business plan,” he said.
Mr Cheney said in the past three years 130 people had come into Orange hospital for palliative care.
And he said 124 people had received health packages to have palliative care at home in Orange.
Mr Cheney said the Dudley proposal would be temporary while a more permanent facility was found.
Dudley Private Hospital CEO Prudence Buist said the hospital was ready to offer the palliative care rooms “immediately.”
She said it would be available initially for a year but there was room to extend the scheme.
Ms Buist said it had been operating in Wagga Wagga since 2015.
Orange general practitioner Dr Ken Hazelton said local doctors supported the plan.
“I think there is genuine interest in general practitioners having active involvement in end of life care,” he said.
Dr Hazelton said people would welcome the Dudley proposal.
“It is in a quiet setting, it’s in town and more accessible for most residents of Orange,” he said.
Dr Hazelton said if the scheme needed funding the people of Orange should let the state government know they wanted it.
Push for Palliative founder Dr Yvonne McMaster said she believed Orange would eventually get a facility.