HEARTFELT THANKS TO MANNING BASE

Letter to the Editor

My son died in the Manning Base Hospital following a very short battle with terminal Cancer (one month from diagnosis) in March this year.  He was forty years of age.

By way of my background, I am a retired Ambulance Paramedic having worked in both Sydney, Lithgow and the Hunter more specifically Newcastle, so I have had a great deal of exposure to major Hospitals including Royal North Shore, RPA, St Vincent’s, Westmead and the John Hunter.

I am also an Executive Member of the Manning and Great Lakes community Health Action Group whose sole role is to raise funding to support and improve Services at the Manning Base Hospital.

During the course of my contact with the Manning Base neither of the aforementioned facts were made known to the Staff so I could be in a position to observe and gauge the Staff and services given to my son, in other words so as not to pre-empt any perhaps special treatment.

This letter is not to gain sympathy or gain empathy but to make the people of the Manning and Great Lakes aware of the wonderful and dedicated Staff at the Base Hospital.  We too often hear complaints regarding the Hospital and not enough praise.

The first most obvious observation is that my son was in pain and treated as a person and not a number like at many major hospitals.

From the initial admission to Accident and Emergency through Critical Care, Oncology and finally Palliative Care both my wife and myself have nothing but praise and awe for the dedication and care not only afforded my son but also to us.  The staff and Doctors virtually held our hands whilst we travelled with our son on his final Journey.

We in the Manning and Great Lakes should be very proud of our Hospital and staff and do all we can to ensure the Hospital receives all the funding possible to continue and improve the services at this great facility.

Peter Johanson

Taree.