Health advocate Jasmin Jones is personally calling on the NSW Government to conduct a fresh clinical health review in Yass Valley.
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Her out-of-council campaign urges a review of maternity care and mental health services; areas she says are “under pressure or not being delivered at all in Yass Valley”.
“The most recent full clinical review was completed in 2012,” Cr Jones said.
“Yass Valley is experiencing black spots in some localities for post-acute care in-home nurses visits, high demand on antenatal and postnatal services...and crippling difficulties in accessing a range of public mental health services for young people.”
Cr Jones said a review was needed to ensure health service demands were met now and in the future. Based on Yass Valley Council’s draft settlement strategy, the Yass Valley LGA was forecast to grow to 25,000 by 2036.
In 2016, Rural Doctors Network data showed the Yass Valley midwife’s caseload was 101 postnatal and 43 antenatal cases. Between July 2016 and March 2017, there were 113 clinic days and 503 patient occasions of care, with 152 of them identified as new patients.
Cr Jones has sent letters to Member for Goulburn Pru Goward, Minister for Health Brad Hazzard and the Southern NSW LHD for a full review.
Yass Valley is experiencing black spots in some localities for post-acute care in-home nurses visits, high demand on antenatal and postnatal services...and crippling difficulties in accessing a range of public mental health services for young people.
- Jasmin Jones, Yass Valley councillor
On June 16, Mr Hazzard responded, saying a recent review of the Yass Outreach Midwifery Service found the service met current demand and “no women have been turned away”.
As well, the Rural Doctor’s Network, which funds the service, boosted the service of the Yass Valley midwife from two days a week to spread over three days in the 2016–17 financial year.
Mr Hazzard says that all health services in Yass were reviewed in 2016 to create the Yass Integrated Health Services Clinical Service Plan.
Cr Jones, however, said that a full review “with comprehensive community input has simply not been done”.
Ms Goward is in support of the review. She says she has raised the issue with Janet Compton, chief executive of Southern NSW LHD.
“I absolutely see that we’ll need maternity services in the area due to growth. The board and CEO are very conscious of the growth rate and demographic changes in Yass Valley,” Ms Goward said.
Elizabeth Veasey, State Chairman for The Nationals’ Goulburn State Electorate Council, however, said The Nationals already have a review policy in plan.
It came after the Women’s Council of the Nationals Party moved a motion at its annual general conference (AGC) in May 2017. The motion called for more women’s health services in regional and rural NSW.
“It’s well and truly being worked on, there’s not much else. It’s basically adopted and now they are looking at the implementation stage,” Ms Veasey said.
“To put things into perspective, it’s not just a Yass Valley issue – it is statewide. We know of places like Lismore where they have to travel to the Gold Coast or to Brisbane Hospital to have babies.”
On the topic of mental health services, Cr Jones said “they were typically only available to the most acute cases for young people”.
Ms Veasey said she agreed with Ms Jones’ view and the need for a full review of mental health services.
“I completely agree with Jasmin on that. It’s not just with teens, it’s right across the board. It’s not discriminatory, so there needs to be more to promote mental health services here,” she said.
