Local case put to health spenders

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 479, 30 March 1993, Page 7

Local case put to health spenders

Adequate health care for the civilian population of Waiouru is an area that needs to be addressed, according to the community's Health Watch Committee. In a submission to the Central Regional Health Authority the committee underlined the importance of continued access to basic Core Health Services. Waiouru is unique in the fact that a large percentage of the population are in the age brackets of 0-5 years, and 1834 years. Families are without the support of grandparents, with social support being provided by peers. Another factor is the diverse ethnic composition of the community, with specific health needs for each nationality. Waiouru's extreme temperatures and conditions during winter with

a corresponding influx of visitors to the region is another consideration. A range of services are currently provided for and based in the community, including a 24-hour ambulance service, nursing services, 24-hour medical care, chemist, dental therapist, health education and promotion and Well Womens Clinic. Access to a range of other services is available including physiotherapist, pae-dia-trician, neurodevel-op-mental therapist, and hearing/vision testing. Waiouru's submission states that access to additional services must be maintained in the community at an affordable level. The following range of services are seen as essential for the continuing well-being of the community: a Waiouru based health social worker; adolescent and

adult dental services; ENT clinics; obstetrician/gynecological clinic; family planning/STD clinic; speech therapist; psycholo-gist/psychiat-ric clinic; drug and alcohol service; orthopaedic clinic; child health team (dealing with child abuse); access to secondary care services. WAIMARINO The over-riding objective of the Waimarino Health Task-force in conjunction with the Waimarino Health Watch Committee, is to ensure an appropriate level of health service is provided locally to Waimarino residents. The Task-force, headed by Ruapehu District Mayor Garrick Workman, was established specifically to address issues arising from Government health reforms. The Task-force consider it vitally important

that a locally based road and air ambulance service is retained within the Waimarino with skilled personnel available as and when required for accident and emergency situations, as well as for the transportation of patients requiring transfer between the Waimarino Health Care Centre and other hospitals. The Task-force submission states as "totally unacceptable, the move in recent years to transfer patients out of the district to Wanganui for services that could and should have been provided locally." The geographical remoteness of the Waimarino is exacerbated by extreme conditions experienced during winter, while the impact of tourism development stretches accident and emergency services The Task-force maintains that much of the accident

and emergency work could be undertaken at the Health Centre, provided ambulance and Xray facilities are available and an assessment and stabilisation area within the Health Centre is re-established. Vital to achieving an ambulance service that adequately meet the needs of the community are: highly trained crews with

IV and cardiac skills, a good working relationship with the Waimarino Health Centre, close links with the Waimarino Rescue Trust Helicopter; a service tailored to meet the needs and conditions of the community and surrounding rural areas; on call for emergencies including sudden illness and home and work acci-

dents; responsibility for the transportation of all inter-hospital transfers. The Task-force believes there is a need to assist Maori Health groups within the Waimarino, with a growing need for more Community Health Nurses working among Maori families in the Turn to page 8

Health issues

From page 7 home situation as well as on the Marae. HEUCOPTER The submission strongly supports the Waimarino's existing Air Ambulance services. A well-equipped rescue helicopter is based permanently at Raetihi, another in Wanganui. Both are owned, operated and maintained by Wanganui Aeroworks at no expense to the community. The submission states that an efficient communication network between the Health Care Centre and the pilots is in place that

is funded by the company, so that effectively 24 hour service is provided. The main work of the service is as transportation of the injured to hospital, with the primary issue being the speed with which the patient can be transferred to receive full care. The added delay of a Palmerston North-based helicopter attending accidents north of Wanganui prolongs the time taken in getting a patient into full hospital care. The submission main-

tains that local pilots' knowledge of the terrain is invaluable and enables them to attend call-outs more quickly that pilots unfamiliar with the area. Cost is also a large factor. There are no stand-by costs attached to helicopters operated by Wanganui Aero Works. A stand alone service with no back-up would be upwards of $600,000 according to the submission, meaning huge increases to the total cost to the community with valuable resources being diverted from other areas to cover costs.