Wednesday 29 April 2009
NSW LIB/NATS DIALYSIS WIN FOR FORBES HOSPITAL
Photo by Forbes Advocate which ran it with the caption: 'Debbie Annis-Brown and son Jared met NSW Shadow Health Minister, Jill Skinner this week when she visited Forbes District Hospital's new renal dialysis unit.'
Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner and Nationals Duty Member for Dubbo Duncan Gay today visited Forbes resident Debbie Annis-Brown who is finally receiving dialysis treatment locally after a two-year fight.
In June 2007 then Health Minister Reba Meagher promised additional dialysis chairs for Forbes after the NSW Liberal/Nationals highlighted the plight of Forbes resident, Debbie Annis-Brown, who was facing weekly bills of more than $200 to travel to Orange three times a week for dialysis treatment.
Debbie Annis-Brown was forced to travel to Orange to receive treatment until March 2009, when the State Labor Government finally delivered on its promise.
“Whilst I’m pleased Debbie is finally being afforded the local treatment she was promised nearly two years ago, the fact it took Labor so long to deliver the dialysis chairs highlights the incompetence of this Government,” Mrs Skinner said.
“When Reba Meagher relented to the NSW Liberal/Nationals pressure in June 2007 and agreed to deliver the facilities needed to treat Debbie in Forbes I warned ‘it would take community vigilance to ensure Labor delivered on its promise’,” she said.
“Seeing how happy Debbie is today and knowing she no longer has to travel to Orange three times a week for treatment at considerable personal expense makes the long, hard fight all the more worthwhile.
“The Forbes Hospital staff were all very pleased with the new chairs.
“I fear that if it wasn’t for the continued pressure from the community and NSW Liberal/Nationals on the State Labor Government to fulfil its promise, then Debbie and other Forbes patients like her would be travelling hours each week to get their treatment.
“After 14 years in power Labor has lost touch with the every day battles people are facing and there is no better example in Forbes than the fight to see Debbie get the local treatment she was promised.”
Mr Gay said Debbie’s story is a great example of what ongoing community pressure can achieve.
“Debbie came to the NSW Liberal/Nationals a couple of years ago in need of help and whilst it was a long fight, Jillian Skinner and Andrew Stoner were there to the end and ultimately won,” Mr Gay said.
“If there are any other local residents in need of help I encourage them to speak to the NSW Liberal/Nationals Coalition and we will take up the fight.
“The NSW Liberal/Nationals are united and focussed on fixing the problems. We are committed to putting people first,” Mr Gay said.