Never before has our rural and regional health system been so important.
Never before has it been placed under such debilitating pressure.
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Yet despite the unprecedented and overwhelming demand it faces, it is a system in deep crisis - one on the precipice of collapse.
This week members of the Nurses and Midwives' Association rallied for more staff, better working conditions and a much deserved pay increase.
They are just one arm of a system screaming for help.
Australian Community Media published a special report in September which revealed a rural and regional hospital system which was under great duress - even before COVID hit.
Local health leaders told how they feared that post COVID lockdown, health services across the Hunter New England Health District would struggle to cope.
Interestingly, there were calls last month for the Hunter New England Health District to be divided and broken down into Hunter Health and New England Health.
Australian Community Media reported how this "Newcastle-centric" health district is siphoning resources away from the more rural areas of the region, prompting calls from New England medical staff and community leaders to separate from the Hunter.
Doctors from the New England say a lack of services in our region has forced sick cancer patients to drive more than 3.5 hours to Newcastle for "something as simple as a PET scan", or to sign a consent form.
It comes as all eight mayors of the New England Joint Organisation of councils voted to investigate resurrecting the old Hunter and New England Health districts. The Hunter New England Health district covers public health services from Newcastle to Tenterfield, near the Queensland border.
New England nephrologist and general physician Dr Stephen May said he had been concerned rural interests would come a distant second to metropolitan areas when the districts combined in 2005.
"I think the system is big and cumbersome and it's not particularly reactive," he said. "It's very slow to our needs, it serves the people of the Hunter region fairly well, but I don't think it's good for the rural sector."
As your local community newspaper, we will keep the momentum going. We will continue to bring you the issues and push governments for assistance at a grassroots level.
But we need your help.
If the system has affected you, a family member or friend we want to hear from you - we want to tell your story.
Laurie Bullock
Northern Tablelands Editor
armidaleexpress@austcommunitymedia.com.au
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