WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE:
- ICU with nurses and ICU specialists. Some of the nurses and all of the ICU specialists have previously worked at the Mayo Cardiac Cath Lab. This is good as some of the nursing staff are already trained and can help provide training to the others.
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Transthoracic echo and Transesophageal echo services. I provide both these services at MBH.
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We provide thrombolysis (clot-busting therapy) for heart attacks at MBH. We have qualified doctors & nurses attending to this.
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We have pharmacists at MBH.
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We have trained cath lab nurses & a cath lab radiographer in the region. They have previously worked with me at the Mayo Cath Lab.
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We have on-site medical & surgical services.
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We have the capacity to insert temporary pacing wires.
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The Cardiothoracic Surgical Services at JHH have written stating their support of the Cath Lab at Mayo and if there is a cath Lab at MBH. The closest regional Cath Lab to a Cardiothoracic Unit in NSW is Taree! This is an important requirement which has been successfully established when the cath Lab at Mayo was opened.
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We have pacemaker testing services at MBH.
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I provide stress testing services (Treadmill & Dobutamine) at Taree. We also have access to Nuclear Medicine Imaging.
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We have access to CT & Pathology (Blood Bank) at MBH. We need to increase this service to 24-hours. Currently, it is 0800 to 0800 and an on call service after 0800.
WHAT WE NEED:
- A Cath Lab! The current Radiology space at MBH is ideal as it is lead-lined, weigh-tested and next to the MBH ED. As the sickest cardiology patients present to the MBH ED, the MBH ED has ED Specialists, Nurses and adequate Junior Staff, the Cath Lab will be ideal in this location. When the MBH administration sent an email to all the MBH MSC members asking their opinion on what is the best use for the radiology space, >95% replied Cath Lab!
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The MBH ICU Nursing Staff need education on both PA catheters & IABP (Balloon Pump). Once achieved, the MBH ICU will need both these equipments as these are basic requirements for any ICU. Other regional ICU of comparable state have both the PA catheter & IABP capabilities.
Dr. Sesh has stated that he has the support of both JHH Cardiology & Cardiothoracic Surgery to help achieve this important & life-saving service at MBH. They have clearly stated to Dr. Sesh that they will be happy to help as long as the HNE Administration directs them to help.
When Mr. Bromhead has been approached to help, he has always stated that he is unable to push for this life-saving service because the major stumbling block for MBH and the patients of Manning Valley is and has always been the CEO of Hunter New England Health, Michael DiRienzo and his advisory group. Mr. Bromhead has often referred to him as “the bureaucrat’s bureaucrat”!
Dr David Keegan has always understood and campaigned for a Cath Lab in MBH. As a doctor, he understands the importance. He has provided a clear and concise plan forthe MBH re-development as opposed to Mr. Bromhead who did not provide a clear plan but empty promises like saving service because the major stumbling block for MBHand the patients of Manning Valley is and has always been the CEO of Hunter New England Health, Michael DiRienzo and his advisory group. Mr. Bromhead has often referred to him as “the bureaucrat’s bureaucrat”!
Dr David Keegan has always understood and campaigned for a Cath Lab as the highest priority at MBH. As a doctor, he understands the importance. He has provided a clear and concise plan for the MBH re-development.
4 Comments
I was at the meeting and what Dr Sesh had to say was a shock and was the exact opposite to the situation that Mr Bromhead was stating. Was impressed with Dr Sesh and you could see he was telling the truth and Mr Bromhead hasn’t a clue on the true status of the base hospital.
Election failure. What are chances of cath lab now?
About two weeks ago I wrote to Mr Bromhead after a close family member was hospitalised in Manning Base and had to travel to Newcastle for an angiogram. Not only is it a very uncomfortable distance to travel in an ambulance, once the procedure is over, no transport is provided to get patients back. I asked what the stumbling blocks were to having a Cath lab at manning base or alternately, why can’t patients have angiograms at Port Macquarie which is much closer, since both hospitals are public health facilities.
I received a phone call from Mr Bromhead’s office soonafter. The first thing his staffer said was “You know it’s the same distance to Port Macquarie and Newcastle anyway?” When I strongly disagreed, he fumbled around a bit and came up with several other reasons instead:
1. Port Macquarie isn’t in Hunter health area (ie we don’t share with other regions).
2. No one wants to move to this area and we don’t have enough staff to run a cath lab, which he claims is also why the mayo one closed down.
3. No other cardiologist is willing o come here and work with the existing cardiologist.
4. In a some sort of government report done on the area regarding health services, it was not deemed a high priority.
He concluded the phone call by asking me to rewrite my email including dates and details of my family member’s hospitalisation including the reasons he was given for having to travel to Newcastle, so he could send it to the Healty Minister for follow up.
My family member cannot speak more highly of Dr Sesh, the services he provided and the passion he expressed for improving health services in the region.
I do not normally respond to politically based stories in print media, however as LH mentioned my conversation, I believed I needed to respond with the correct direction and information given to LH when she spoke with me.
Please allow me to respond to LH in relation to her comments.
LH was advised :
I courteously thanked LH for making contact in regard to Cardiac services as highlighted recently, including at the Candidate forum where Mr Bromhead also addressed the issue.
I informed LH that Mr Bromhead has been informed by Management at Taree’s Mayo Private Hospital that cardiac catheterization lab services will continue to be offered at the Hospital however PCI Stent procedures have been put on hold for a period of 12 months.
The decision was made following Reviews by Professor Brian Bailey for NSW Health and the Carol Review commissioned by the Mayo, Patient safety must always be at the forefront of decisions made in the Health system whether public or private, and clinical governance must be adhered too.
The Mayo’s decision has no bearing on services provided for public patients through Manning Hospital and Hunter New England Health. I understand that consulting cardiologists to The Mayo have been offered alternative operating theatres for their patients.
Mr Bromhead also advised that he will continue to advocate for expanded services at Manning Hospital as part of the Stages 2 and 3 of the Redevelopment.
Yes I invited LH to write to Mr Bromhead and he would raise her concerns with the Health Minister, as he would with any other similar enquiry. That invitation remains open for LH to provide details of her individual case and she will be provided with a written response after her stated issue is fully investigated.