Orange Hospital is kicking off a very significant innovation. They’re working on a new ten-year clinical services plan to match their capital investments and improve healthcare delivery region-wide. Mark Spittal, the spokesperson for the Western NSW Local Health District (LHD), announced that the LHD is actively preparing this comprehensive plan to ensure the hospital meets the future needs of the community.
The announcement follows complaints from whistleblower doctors about harmful delays in cancer surgery and screening at Orange Hospital. These reservations each underline the critical call to improve surgical capacity. Most operations today rely on robotic surgical technology, which our facility unfortunately does not yet have this critical resource.
Emphasizing Robotic Surgical Services
Clair Whelan, a urological surgeon advocating for robotic surgical services in western NSW, has been vocal about the necessity of such technology. Today, robotic surgery is the new standard of care for procedures such as prostate cancer. This transformation has put new pressure on hospitals to implement these creative methods.
Still Whelan remained upbeat about the steps forward. She noted, “We’re excited to be working with the LHD to continue to deliver gold standard surgical care.” Her advocacy emphasizes that rural patients deserve the same quality of care as their metropolitan counterparts, minimizing the need to travel away from their support networks.
The new clinical services plan requires the district to reassess the need for robotic-assisted surgical services, which includes the valuable community input received last year. Spittal stated, “As part of the development of the new CSP, we are reassessing the viability of delivering robotic-assisted surgical services within the district, which includes determining the best options for that type of service.”
Addressing Operational Concerns
The key concern among doctors at Orange Hospital revolves around whether the facility can maintain and improve its surgical offerings without robotic equipment. The lack of this technology threatens the hospital’s ability to conduct several of its specialized surgeries successfully.
Ms Spittal conceded the concerns reported by staff at Orange Health Service and said that these concerns are being rectified. He mentioned, “Western NSW Local Health District is following up on a range of issues raised by staff working at Orange Health Service.” His pledge extends to making sure staff are kept updated as things unfold.
Whelan highlighted the broader implications of implementing robotic services, stating, “The impact of robotic services to western region patients stretches far beyond surgical care and will ensure a healthy sustainable workforce for years to come.” This feeling emphasizes the need to pour resources into emerging technology to keep healthcare workers in remote communities.
The Path Forward
The new ten-year clinical services plan is a thoughtful, strategic step toward more proactive healthcare across Orange. By focusing on modern surgical practices and addressing existing gaps in service delivery, the hospital aims to enhance patient outcomes.
Kathryn Austin, NSW Health Engagement with the Arts partner representative and an artist herself, underscored the need to care for those in frontline health professions. She stated, “It’s very important that we continue to make sure that NSW Health does everything to support the frontline doctors and nurses of our workforce, and investments in the workforce and the infrastructure in which they work needs to be a priority.”
