Labor Pledges More Vaccinations In Hunter Pharmacies

BY JOSH SIM

The NSW Shadow Health Minister Walt Secord and Newcastle MP Tim Crackanthorp have visited a Hamilton pharmacy today to make a Labor election pledge for Hunter Pharmacies.

The party is promising under the plan, that from September 1, 2019, it will expand in-pharmacy vaccinations, currently available for the flu, to cover Diptheria, Tetanus, Whooping Cough and a second Measles vaccine.

The age limit for the pharmacy vaccinations would remain at 18.

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp believes the benefit of the vaccines being readily available at pharmacies are two-fold, with both the expense of a GP visit and the timeliness being an added factor behind the party's proposal.

"It will enable [Newcastle Residents] to pop into the chemist and get vaccinated, it will be hugely beneficial in that manner," Mr Crackanthorp said.

The party also believes the proposal will have a flow-on effect in helping to raise the State's lower than acceptable vaccination rates.

Shadow Health Minister Walt Secord pointed out the Hunter had one of its worst years on record in 2017, with more than two-thousand confirmed cases of Influenza, while Pertussis (Whooping Cough) was also on the rise.

"The worrying thing this year is that we've already had 62 cases of Pertussis [in the Hunter]... while another worrying trend is the 3 people diagnosed with Mumps," Mr Secord said.

Labor believe by putting this proposal in place, it would complement the current vaccination programs, and reach out to those who normally don't get vaccinated.

Tim Crackanthorp, Pharmacy-Owner Anthony Piggott and Walt Secord discuss the proposal. 

State Government planning to move ambulance bill collection to Revenue NSW

BY JARROD MELMETH

Debt collectors could be unleashed on unsuspecting residents in the Hunter and across the state who have an outstanding ambulance bill under new laws proposed by the NSW Government.

Under the current laws, a person with an outstanding ambulance debt – unable to pay the fee could seek to have work order applied to address the matter, but under the proposed changes the Chief Commissioner of State Revenue is authorised to take action without taking court action.

Cessnock MP and Shadow Minister for Finance, Services and Property Clayton Barr has labelled the proposed changes as an extremely tough and heartless approach.

"The government are proposing to move to a very heavy-handed draconian-style model where there will be no prisoners taken. It will just seek to seize property, seize assets, seize payments and make sure that ambulance bill is paid, no matter what your circumstances are," Mr Barr said.

The State Debt Recovery Bill 2017 was first introduced into the NSW Parliament in November last year and only recently passed the Legislative Assembly last week and is set to be debated in parliament this week.

Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord said the changes will affect those who are most vulnerable in our community.

"We will have a situation where elderly patients with chest pains will hesitate calling an ambulance in a life-threatening situation - or delay their call until it is too late. Lives will be put at risk," Mr Secord said.

Pictured: Clayton Barr.

Achoo! Worst flu month on record

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord has renewed his criticism of the Berejiklian Government after a massive jump in the number of flu cases in the Hunter and across the state.

We are just over half way through July, and already there's been more than 350 reported cases of influenza this month in the Hunter's hospitals and across the state there been a record4,085 reported cases to the official database for NSW Influenza notifications.

Walt Secord says the government were unprepared for the huge spike in influenza cases which he says has led to an increase in the number of "bed block" incidents.

"So you have a situation where patients wait at every stage, they wait for an ambulance, they wait for the emergency department and then they wait for a bed. Sadly the Berejiklian government has been caught unprepared for the flu season - we're on track to have one of the worst years on record for flu."

The flu season is smashing regional hospitals, particularly The Calvary Mater Hospital.

"Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle is one of the three hospitals that have been cited as being under enormous pressure so again Newcastle is also feeling the brunt of this flu season," said Walt Secord.

He adds while it may be too late for the government to do anything about it this flu season, there are things we can do ourselves.

"You can still get your flu shot - if you're feeling well you can get your flu shot. I had my flu shot in April and I haven't missed a moment of work so again there's still time to get your flu shot. August is usually seen as the high month, the worst time of the year so there's still time."

Flu season "smashing" Mater Hospital Emergency Department

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Calvary Mater Hospital in Waratah has been revealed as an area of concern in the latest NSW Health Influenza Surveillance Report which also ranks the Hunter New England Health District with the third highest influenza notifications in the state.

Compared to June last year, hospitals across the state have seen influenza admissions rise by almost double which Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord said is due to the unpreparedness of the NSW State Government.

"Every year we know the flu season is coming and again, the State Government has been caught off guard.

"They should have been out warning people and urging people to get vaccinated.

"In April I had my vaccinations and I have not missed a single day of work.

"Due to the failure to properly prepare, the additional flu patients in emergency departments mean other patients have to wait longer.

"The last thing NSW health and hospital system needs is to see hundreds of extra patients pouring into emergency departments with preventable flu symptoms," Mr Secord said.

Calvary Mater Hospital in Waratah. Source: ABC

New Maitland Hospital To Be Built And Run Under Public Private Partnership

BY IAN CROUCH AND GARY-JON LYSAGHT

 The state government is defending the public private partnership announced for the new Maitland  Hospital at Metford.

Scot MacDonald

Expressions of interest are being sought from the private sector to build and operate the hospital, with the government saying this will help to fast-track the $400 million facility.

Shadow Health Minister, Walt Secord fears it could lead to a two-tiered Americanised hospital system which would disadvantage the most vulnerable.

But Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald says public patients will still receive free treatment under Medicare at the new hospital.

"We have very clear standards across the country, not just NSW; that the Commonwealth provides the Medicare system and everybody will continue to have access to that," he said

It doesn't matter what your life circumstances are, doesn't matter where you live, you will have access to the emergency department and all those other services."

The decision has been questioned by Labor, who have asked about the future of beds at the Metford site.

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison says the Government "refuses to answer any questions on beds".

"We have originally had a promise that it would be a John Hunter-ish sized hospital.  So that's around 630 beds," she said.

"The next reiteration was at around 400.  The minister can't even commit to that number."

"Are we even going to get any new beds out of this deal?"

However, Scot MacDonald has said the design of the new hospital is not based "on the old formula, if you like, of number of beds".

"We'll very much be guided by what the physicians ask for and what the community wants and the community of the Lower Hunter is different to the John Hunter Hospital."

"That community has different needs."