Life saving help !

Just what is the purpose of a hospital ?

To most people, it is a place to go when you have suffered a life threatening injury or illness - with the expectation of swift medical attention.

In that respect, Wollongong hospital is sadly lacking, despite the best efforts of it's dedicated doctors and nurses.

The problem is simply lack of facilities . Wollongong has just twenty eight emergency department treatment bays - compared to St George Hospital's forty six and Nepean Hospitals forty - and yet the average number of patients presenting is roughly the same in all three centres.

Contraction of emergency department facilities has been happening for years. We originally had emergency facilities at Wollongong, Port Kembla and Bulli hospitals. Port Kembla was the first to go - despite it serving the growing south and the city's main industrial base - and more recently emergency was withdrawn from Bulli.

The mantra " Do more with less " prevails and as a result we have ambulances queued and patients in corridors on trolleys awaiting triage on an increasing number of occasions.

The solution to the problem is simple. More treatment bays - and more doctors and nurses to give quicker attention to those presenting.

The government claims it has no money to improve these services, but perhaps medical help for the seriously unwell should be heading the list of priorities. There are a plethora of other government departments competing for funds - and no doubt their services are important - but surely keeping people alive has to go to the top of the list !

Last week there were 983 people presenting to Wollongong emergency department, 329 arriving by ambulance - and presentations are increasing by 4.3% each year.

If the state government can not organise it's finances to provide a service that prolongs the life of it's citizens it should turn in it's resignation - get out of the way and make room for someone who can !