Personal care from Base Hospital

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 295, 18 July 1989, Page 4

Personal care from Base Hospital

Along with many interested Waimarino folks, I attended an extremely well-addressed and well-chaired meeting to discuss our future health services in this area. We were assured that while we will lose beds we will not lose our small but special hospital and that community based nursing services will be increased with the aim of preventing ill health through education and support. The question/answer session raised many points for consideration in any decision making. I asked a question but didn't express myself well at all. It is - will more cases where diagnosis is difficult be sent directly to Base Hospital by our G.P's? Will any beds retained be able to be used to admit patients for observation when there is non-urgent uncertainly? (e.g. a baby crying could have wind or a blocked bowel - only time will produce the symptoms). I have faith (and proof) in the decisions made by our doctors and nursing staff here and to be sent to a specialised hospital is exactly the right place to be when things go wrong. But we arrive often unprepared and under stress - both patient and caring family member - to a large, confusing, impersonal institution. My point is, we already have a caring, quality team of health professionals here and we're told its going to become even more personalised and home based, I'm all for it. But will Base Hospital be preparing to give the same, more personalised, health care and support to "out of town" patients (and their family carers) as they are expecting future Rural Health Commuities to give?

Carol

Dean