Medical services for country people...

[Steve Fryar]

..are nearly third world at the moment and our state and federal government must do something about it before people lose their lives.
Our local hospital services a population of about 4000 people and yet has no doctors assigned to it on the weekends.The bottom line is don't get sick on the weekend.They do have a paramedic on duty and they try their best,but their best may not be enough and it isn't their fault.They don't have a degree.
My wife went splat playing netball six weeks ago.She landed heavily on her elbow causing intense pain.I took her into the hospital.The paramedic ordered xrays.After several attemps,they got some good ones.The paramedic took some photos of the xrays with his phone:o and text them to a doctor somewhere.The wife was given the all clear.Just badly bruised.They didn't give her the xrays.
Her elbow,4 weeks later was still very stiff and sore so she went to a physio.He expressed concern and sent her to a doctor.More xrays and guess what?Yep..she had broken her arm in 2 places.Of course she cannot,now,straighten her arm because the fractures have set incorrectly.She has to consult an orthopaedic surgeon now.
Thank God we have private health.

[bsrlee]

Welcome to the 4th World - its like the 3rd World, but the politicians won't take a handout/ask for help to fix things as they have their head too far up their..........

An acquaintance was treated at Canberra Hospital a few years ago, and says she was told by the Orthopedic registrar that as she didn't have a job at the time they would not make any effort to fix her broken elbow as, in the registrar's opinion, she would never get a job or amount to anything & treatment would be a waste of money. She still can't fully straighten her arm, but she has a job and a couple of kids - but of course, no witnesses either.

[Christopha]

Strewth Steve, you live outside of the Metro area! What do you bloody well expect? You ain't a city type so you and yours get stuff all. You pay more for fuel, higher council rates , dearer groceries etc etc.
Don't you get it? You are lowlife scum because you are a rural nonentity!!! Just because you happen to feed the city types doesn't mean you are as good as them! They outnumber you and can make you do what they want when they want and don't you forget it!

By the way, they did the same mobile phone/fax ????? in Penola when my old Father-in-law had a dicky ticker attack.

(deeep breath!)

[Steve Fryar]

Hey Chris,it's stupid isn't it.We live in the southeast of SA where opportunities abound(now we are getting rain),we have a large diversity of industry from oil and gas to goat farming.The average wage in our area is pretty high and yet Mt Gambier hospital is the only city class place we have,and good luck getting in there unless you have private.
I honestly can see somebody dying because of misdiagnosis or lack of facility.Are not we supposed to be the "Lucky Country"?Maybe if you live in a city,'cause we are in need of help in the bush.

[Steve Fryar]

Sorry for the double post but the reason I couldn't take my wife to Mt Gambier is due to the 200km drive.She was complaining of pain and I only drove 10km to Bordertown.Private health or not,200km was just to far.