The wait for on-site x-ray services at Tomaree Community Hospital is over.
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Hunter New England Health and the Hunter Imaging Group turned on the newly installed equipment on Monday. It means patients won’t necessarily need to make the trip to Newcastle.
“This is fantastic news for Port Stephens,” Port Stephens Duty MLC Catherine Cusack said.
“The new x-ray facility will mean residents of Port Stephens are able to access integrated, high quality services closer to where they live.”
The general x-ray service, delivered through the partnership agreement, will operate between 8am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday with on-call services available after hours and on weekends. The service had previously been provided on a contract basis with an off-site provider.
The new x-ray facility is a part of the Hunter New England Imaging network, meaning doctors based at the John Hunter Hospital can review x-rays and provide advice to the clinicians at Tomaree in real time.
Ms Cusack said patients requiring other imaging services will still be able to access these through the private provider in Port Stephens during their normal operating hours. Patients requiring more urgent CT, ultrasound and higher-level imaging will be transferred to Calvary Mater Newcastle and John Hunter Hospital as per the existing process.
“This will save people the approximate three hours in travel and waiting time to be x-rayed at John Hunter Hospital. A big win for Port Stephens residents and visitors”, Ms Cusack said.
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The opening of the x-ray facility at Tomaree Community Hospital was delayed due to the processing time for the required accreditation through the Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme.
Practices must be accredited under the scheme in order to provide Medicare funded diagnostic imaging services. Additionally, due to the power required by the x-ray machine there was a need to upgrade the transformers on site, and unfortunately this work took longer than anticipated.
“Thankfully the hurdles which have delayed the opening of the x-ray facility have been overcome and I congratulate the hospital and Hunter New England Local Health District for their efforts,” Ms Cusack said.
“The NSW Liberal National Government is committed to delivering better access and increased health services that make a real difference to people’s lives.”
A formal opening and celebration is planned for early May.
