Community Health Connect Services Coonalpyn, Tintinara and Lucindale

Community Health Connect Services Coonalpyn, Tintinara and Lucindale

05 March 2024

I rise today to highlight changes announced by the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network and the Limestone Coast Local Health Network - where the Coonalpyn, Tintinara and Lucindale Community Health clinics have transitioned from a ‘drop-in service’ to an ‘appointment-only’ service.

This has negatively impacted the delivery of community nursing services to these towns. Furthermore, with no consultation with the community.

I’m calling for an immediate review to this change - with the view to have it reinstated to its original form as soon as possible.

I disagree with the government’s assertion that (and I quote) ‘’An appointment-only service will provide certainty for consumers, who can book in their care either in the clinic or at the consumer’s home and know that the care will be provided.’

This has certainly not been the experience of many constituents who have raised this issue with me.

I would like to provide a small snapshot of the some of the many negative feedback that’s been brought to my attention in recent weeks.

This includes:

People being required to drive 50 km from Lucindale (100 km round trip) to get a blood test in Naracoorte – after fasting for 12 hours.

Or – in the case of those who live in Tintinara – having to drive to Murray Bridge on the busy highway - which is a two and a half hour round trip.

Many of these people are elderly – and - after fasting for such a long period of time – the risk of accident is increased.

Some elderly patients are also unable to drive or have restricted licences and do not have family or friends to take them. There is also no public transport available for these people.

Nurses who are local to the area have now been replaced by nurses from out of the region – compromising continuity of care.

Nurses are also required to fill out extra paperwork for patients – adding an extra 30 – 40 minutes in patient consultations – prior to any treatment commencing.

People are now resorting to do their own wound care – because they can’t get an appointment.

 

The intent of the change was justified by the government – which said:

‘These services are extremely valuable to the community and the intention is not to reduce services, but rather to deliver them in a new model that maximises the precious resource of nursing care.’

Again this has not been experienced by my constituents in these towns.

It has also been justified that ‘the service isn’t large enough for exclusive administrative support, so appointments will be managed via the central Country Health Connect line.

For those in Coonalpyn/Tintinara – it means ringing the Murray Bridge hospital and for Lucindale the Naracoorte Hospital.

Centralising of the switchboard has left many patients with no idea when they can come in and receive care.

A constituent in Tintinara phoned to make an appointment for a blood test, left a message on answering machine – and was called back a week later to be told they needed to go to Murray Bridge - due to the service no longer being available in Tintinara!

So – a five-minute walk down to their local community nurse in Tintinara has now become a 2-3 hour round trip to Murray Bridge!

The clinics have also changed the scope of their practice – and no longer offer certain services, including Ear syringing, ECG’s, removal of sutures and point of care INR testing services.

To think that patients presenting needing sutures removed – now have to book an appointment with the doctors at Lucindale whose waitlists are already close to 4 weeks – makes no sense and is far from an efficiency gain.

 

I reiterate – locals in regional areas rely on community health nursing services.

They negate the need to travel to larger towns such as Naracoorte, Keith or Tailem Bend.

These services have helped keep people out of hospital, or the need to see a Doctor. We know there is a major Doctor shortage – these changes will impact the entire medical system.

I honestly believe that if community nursing isn’t easily available – people – especially the elderly – will think it’s too hard. They won’t bother trying to make an appointment – and so their health outcomes will suffer.

Rural communities need experienced nursing staff who can do a broad range of procedures. There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to the health needs of small communities.

In small towns like Lucindale whose resilience has been tested in recent years  with three fires,  and more recently the tragic loss of their police officer Jason Doig  - why change a health care model that was servicing a community well and providing huge community value.

 

I’m calling for community nursing services to be reinstated to its original form in Tintinara, Coonalpyn and Lucindale as soon as possible.

Thank you.

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