LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
CENTRAL Gippsland Health rejects claims that surgical and obstetric capabilities at Sale Hospital are being reduced.
It is disappointing that there appears to be a campaign of misinformation circulating in the community.
The usual procedure when issues of quality and safety are raised about a health service is for Safer Care Victoria to review quality and safety measures and provide both the government and the Department of Health and Human Services with a report.
We look forward to this standard procedure being undertaken at CGH and the positive outcome from that process.
Theatre sessions between June and September at CGH would be slightly down in number due to a part-time surgeon leaving and another surgeon on leave.
We are budgeting this financial year to undertake 80 theatre sessions in every four-week period, which is slightly more than we have averaged for the past few years.
We have never performed major orthopaedic procedures at our hospital, but with funding for our new theatre upgrade, will be able to provide this specialised work which requires an orthopaedic surgeon.
This is great news for the community.
Our surgical capability has not been reduced.
We currently have three surgeons – two fulltime surgeons and a visiting general surgeon, who has been working with us for some years and is kept busy with the overflow of patients from the others.
Our current surgeons have strong referral patterns from local GPs.
Recent recruitment efforts for additional surgeons had proved fruitful, with appointments expected to be announced before the end of the year.
CGH has experienced a reasonable changeover of general surgeons in recent years.
All staff, including surgeons, whether they are contractors or on staff, are subject to the same procedures and policies.
Most staff are excellent; occasionally some are not.
It is important everyone reflect our values of quality and safety at all times. We are not prepared to compromise on this.
The surgical unit has experienced difficulties in the past, which is why the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons was asked to conduct an independent review of the unit several years ago.
The college provided a number of recommendations, one of which resulted in CGH parting ways with a surgeon.
Sometimes we have to make tough decisions, but when it comes to quality and safety, these always take precedence.
Unfortunately, difficulties with the unit continued and prompted yet another external review.
This review found that while the college’s recommendations were implemented in full by CGH, issues between staff remained. Subsequently, when a part-time surgeon again resigned, his resignation was accepted.
The reason we continue to provide more complex surgical procedures than Bairnsdale is because we have our adult critical care unit and capability.
CGH continues to be a Level 4 high capability obstetric service.
To suggest otherwise is completely wrong.
We continue to operate a high capability service for newborn and maternity services and do this at a considerable cost, but it is part of the service we provide.
Claims that older people are taking up surgical beds is also false.
In recent years, we increased the number of beds on our surgical ward from 15 to 20.
We can now accommodate demand for medical beds, but in no way are they a substitute for a surgical patient.
The fact is, older and vulnerable people in our community have chronic diseases and we are committed to looking after them.
Unlike some other hospitals of our size, it is extremely rare for us to cancel surgery because of lack of beds.
CGH has not suffered any funding loss at the expense of either Latrobe Regional Hospital or Bairnsdale, and the service is in no way under threat of being “downgraded”, as had been recently claimed.
On the contrary, the hospital has just received full national standards accreditation in the past 12 months.
The reality is our area is growing at a slower rate than our neighbours, and they get additional funding to address this growth.
CGH will continue to implement and improve services for its community, and will soon increase both its oncology and haematology services.
The CGH board made the decision to install an MRI machine last year, an essential service for patients.
Access to MRI is considered essential for us to maintain our medical, high dependency and critical care capability.
Local access is also important for local people who would otherwise need to travel to Traralgon or Bairnsdale for a service if it is not available in Sale.
We are licensed to use the MRI, but cannot claim the Medicare rebate like Traralgon and Bairnsdale, although we all charge the same fee.
We’re now positioned that when a new round of applications comes out, we will apply for a Medicare rebate.
In relation to allegations of bullying, the CGH board and management have a zero tolerance of bullying.
It is not permitted under any circumstances.
On rare occasions, we might be required to terminate staff who are unable to change their behaviour.
Many initiatives have been introduced to enhance the working environments for all staff and overall, we have an incredibly stable workforce.
We have introduced changes to ensure that our patients are always put first.
This is being done in conjunction with our staff, who are our greatest resource.
We want our community to know we are better together.
