Residents who are suffering chronic pain in the Bundaberg and Burnet region are being ignored by the Minister for Health according to local member Stephen Bennett.
Mr Bennett tabled a petition in parliament with more than 600 signatures, asking for the State Government to fund a Pain Management Clinic in the region.
“Despite seeing hundreds of signatures of support for the clinic and pleas from residents who are in unbearable pain, Minister Miles has ignored the petition, instead stating the Sunshine Coast HHS provides a chronic pain service as a hub for the area which includes the Bundaberg region,” Mr Bennett said.
“Regional and rural patients are seeing their health deteriorate under a Labor Government.
“The closure of the Pain Management Clinic in Bundaberg has left patients with no options.
“Their health is worsening and they’re being forced to travel hundreds of kilometers to Nambor for a face to face consultation.
“I’m calling on the Minister to not simply close his eyes and turn his back on these people.
“Many are in so much pain that the thought of traveling for hours is insufferable.
“They’re crying out for help, so please, Minister Miles, listen to them.”
Local sufferer Danka Carlton said about 12 months ago she was trialed on a new medication.
“The side effects were horrendous and I couldn’t see my specialist face to face to show him what was happening,” she said.
“It took six weeks of suffering in excruciating pain before they could alter my medication.
“People who suffer from chronic pain don’t often suffer for very long as in some cases their life is limited, so time is quite honestly of the essence.”
Bundaberg local John Fidden suffers from chronic pain and said when he visits any hospital he sees a lot of people in pain.
“A well-known specialist has told me there is lot of patients suffering in the Bundaberg Region, local GP’s do the best they can but treatment requires the ability of a highly skilled specialist,” said Mr Fidden.
08-10-18