Latest news with #OrangeHealthService
ABC News
3 hours ago
- Health
- ABC News
Robotic surgery breakthrough for whistleblower doctors at Orange Hospital
Whistleblower doctors at a major regional New South Wales hospital have secured a breakthrough after they warned of delays to cancer surgeries and screening. One of the doctors' key concerns was whether the Orange Health Service, or other health services across the local health district (LHD), would be able to continue performing certain operations because of the lack of robotic surgical equipment. Robotic surgery is now considered by some clinicians to be standard practice for some operations, such as prostate cancer. The doctors had been asking management to lead lobbying efforts for its purchase and installation, but were knocked back. The Western NSW LHD has now changed its stance. "As part of the development of the new CSP [clinical services plan], we are also reassessing the viability of delivering robotic-assisted surgical services within the district, which includes determining the best options for that type of service," LHD chief executive Mark Spittal said in a statement. A 7.30 investigation in May revealed that urgent operations at Orange Health Service (OHS) were being downgraded to avoid breaching waiting list targets. At the time the Western NSW LHD rejected the claims and said operations were not being re-categorised to prioritise waiting lists over patient care. But the NSW Health Minister Ryan Park ordered a review and called an urgent meeting with the doctors and executives from the LHD. NSW Health secretary Susan Pearce then held talks with senior clinicians in late July. "Western NSW Local Health District is following up on a range of issues raised by staff working at Orange Health Service," Mr Spittal said. Urological surgeon Clair Whelan, one of the doctors who raised concerns, said there had been great progress. "We're excited to be working with the LHD to continue to deliver gold standard surgical care," Dr Whelan said. "Rural patients deserve the same quality care as our metropolitan counterparts, without the added burden of leaving our support networks. The Australian Medical Association's (AMA) NSW branch was involved in the meetings between doctors and the minister, and welcomed the LHD's change of heart. "We think it's fantastic that more modern services like robotic surgery can be delivered by those who are skilled in that workforce … to give the patients the care closer to home and certainly in their local area," AMA NSW president Kathryn Austin said. The senior doctors had also warned the capacity of Orange Health Service was among the reasons surgeries were being postponed. "It's very important that we continue to make sure that NSW Health does everything to support the frontline doctors and nurses of our workforce, and investments in the workforce and the infrastructure in which they work needs to be a priority," Dr Austin said. "Hopefully small changes like this will show that that's what they are doing." Mr Spittal said the LHD was working to prepare a new 10-year clinical services plan for the hospital. He said it would consider whether additional beds were needed, and examine the broader health precinct to find out what was required to meet future health needs.
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Changes urged after family misses farewelling dying son
Lathan Brown was a warm and creative young man with a "fighting spirit", one of eight siblings who shared deep bonds with a big extended family. That family is now living with "endless pain", having missed saying their final goodbyes by just 10 minutes after Mr Brown's sudden death on January 6, 2024. The 28-year-old, a proud Kamilaroi and Barkandji man, was on remand in Wellington Correctional Centre, in central western NSW, when he collapsed in his cell that afternoon. Deputy State Coroner Stuart Devine on Thursday found Mr Brown's unexpected death from heart arrhythmia was not preventable. But Mr Devine highlighted several gaps in NSW Corrective Services officers' communication with the Brown family, which meant they were not at his bedside when he died in hospital. Paramedics took Mr Brown to Wellington hospital just before 5pm and a prison officer called his family to inform them of his dire condition, the inquest was told. One of Mr Brown's uncles called the officer for an update at 6pm and was told he would be transferred to the larger hospital at nearby Dubbo. Mr Brown's father Michael then drove 150km from Orange to Dubbo to be with his son, but medical teams had already arranged for him to be flown by helicopter to Orange Health Service. Resuscitation efforts were stopped soon after Mr Brown arrived at the Orange facility and he died at 11.15pm. His father got to the hospital at 11.25pm. "Lathan passed away without his family being with him and this is still deeply horrifying and upsetting to me," Michael Brown said in a statement, issued through the NSW Aboriginal Legal Service. "We didn't get a chance to say goodbye. "There was time wasted where we could have spent time with him and we can never get that time back." The coroner made several recommendations, including that NSW Corrective Services policies be amended, requiring a senior officer to closely liaise with families in the event of an inmate's imminent death. Mr Devine said Mr Brown's case should also be considered in the context of First Nations deaths in custody. "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are notoriously over-represented within NSW's prison population and consequently there are a disturbing number of Aboriginal deaths in custody," he said. "There can be no argument that First Nations people continue to experience significant disadvantage and poorer health outcomes across the board compared to the broader population." The Brown family showed strength, fortitude and "quiet dignity" while demanding answers for their son, grandson and brother, Mr Devine said. "It is obvious to me they wanted to understand the full circumstances of Lathan's death, but also wanted to be part of any positive change that could arise from his passing." 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
ABC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Orange Hospital bed shortages delay cancer, emergency surgeries
When a "code black" is declared at a New South Wales hospital it means staff safety is at threat. For clinicians it also signals their hospital is at capacity. Senior doctors at Orange in the state's central west say this declaration is being made at the city's public hospital, Orange Health Service, too often. Director of surgery Rob Knox said recently the hospital had spent half a month in the most "critical state of bed block". "[That's] where we've used up all surge capacity. There are no more beds available for patients. Patients can't leave [the emergency department]," Dr Knox said. Dr Knox recently went public with concerns that he and his colleagues had been asked to reduce the clinical urgency of cancer surgeries so the hospital did not breach waiting list targets. The Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) rejected the claims, however NSW Health has ordered a review of the re-categorisation of surgeries at Orange Hospital. Dr Knox said he now felt compelled to speak up for colleagues in other hospital departments. "When messages are going around from fellow surgeons asking if anyone has the option to accommodate a child who's been stuck in ED for over 24 hours with appendicitis [and she] is the same age as your daughter, that's when it starts to become a personal issue," he said. The Orange Health Service's intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency surgery regularly experience high demand. The ABC has seen correspondence from doctors detailing operations which had been postponed due to a shortage of ICU or high dependency beds despite some of their patients' surgeries being overdue. The hospital's anaesthetics department wrote to management in September 2024 expressing its alarm about what its doctors were seeing. "For a while now, the department of anaesthesia (sic) at OHS [Orange Health Service] has raised concern at a local level that patients requiring emergency surgery are given a lower priority than patients waiting for an elective procedure," the letter stated. "We suggest that both the hospital and the district [WNSWLHD] need to prioritise the sickest surgical patients in the district rather than meet KPIs for elective surgery. Dr Knox said the hospital's management of emergency surgeries prompted his department to make a tough decision. "I think emergency surgery is the real hidden crisis," he said. "We've certainly agreed that if we have an enormous volume of patients waiting, who do not look like they're going to get their emergency surgery operation in time, we are going to cancel patients off our elective lists." Senior doctors have put forward proposals to hospital management which they say will slash waiting lists, deliver high quality patient care and future-proof the hospital and its workforce. They have been campaigning for robotic surgical equipment to be installed. Urological surgeon Clair Whelan said she had to refer half of her patients to Sydney because she could not see them in the recommended time frame, and many expected to receive robotic surgery which was only available at metropolitan hospitals. Two urologists are due to start in Orange in 2026, but Dr Whelan said their appointments would be compromised if the equipment was not available. "I can say unequivocally that the young urologists, who have trained on robotic surgery, will not be able to work in the Orange area or in the western district because they won't have that facility," she said. Dr Whelan said Sydney hospitals would then have to care for all of the Central West's surgical patients, including those requiring prostate cancer operations which was the most common cancer in NSW since 2020. "It basically means every one of them will be going over to Sydney to see someone," she said. "That's a massive burden on what is already an overstretched system in Sydney as well. "Hospitals are stretched, regardless of where they are. The burden of half the state coming to them is not going to help." In an email to senior doctors, seen by the ABC, WNSWLHD chief executive Mark Spittal said while work was being done on the proposal for robotic surgery at a ministerial level, he did not want to apply pressure. "I do not necessarily want to be forced to justify of (sic) why Orange would be the rural pilot site against another rural/regional hospital with a larger catchment such as Wagga, Tweed, Port Macquarie or others etc." he wrote. Dr Whelan said a decision was needed soon. The doctors have approached the hospital and WNSWLHD with another proposal to help ease surgery waiting list pressures. They want them to consider using vacant operating theatres at a neighbouring private hospital for lower acuity surgeries. Ramsay Healthcare leases level four of the Bloomfield Medical Centre for its Ramsay Surgical Centre. It has one vacant theatre and two others available once they are fitted out. He said using private resources would not result in problems experienced at Northern Beaches Hospital in Sydney. "If it's a question of patient safety I think the obvious safe situation is literally across the road from the main referral hospital of the district," Dr Knox said. "There's an on-site ICU, cardiologists, interventional radiologists, specialists, anaesthetists, and it's a 10-minute walk or 30-second ambulance trip." In a statement, Ramsay Surgical Centre chief executive Ben Chiarella said its facility had "significant capacity and resources available for growth and further utilisation if and when required". "We have a good working relationship with Western NSW LHD's executive team and continue to offer our support in any strategic discussions or collaboration required to improve health access, equity, and outcomes in this region," Mr Chiarella said. WNSWLHD has been contacted for a response. On March 27, State Health Minister Ryan Park told the NSW parliament that adverse patient outcomes at Sydney's Northern Beaches Hospital did not preclude other types of arrangements with the private sector. "The bill does not and is not intended to prohibit or impact on other arrangements entered into with the private sector," Mr Park told parliament. "[The private sector] can also be contracted to provide specific clinical services to public patients, such as [instances like] private health facilities providing elective surgery to public patients to reduce waiting lists after the COVID‑19 pandemic. "Such arrangements can be beneficial to NSW Health, patients, and the private sector, and are generally relatively simple to administer."
