Royal Far West service forced to drive
Wednesday March 4, 2009
Up until last year, health professionals from Royal Far West used to fly to Cobar to consult with their patients.
Kerrie Powell, a registered psychologist with the Royal Far West, is one of those professionals and has been visiting Cobar eight times a year for the past 12 years.
“I can no longer call myself the ‘flying psychologist’,” Ms Powell told The Cobar Weekly last week.
Ms Powell has written to the State Member for Barwon, Kevin Humphries, to lend her support to Mr Humphries’ efforts towards the reinstatement of essential air services for Cobar.
“I am part of a team of Royal Far West allied health professional who have conducted clinics in Cobar, the birthplace of the Royal Far West, for many years, formally since 1995.
“Over the years there have been occupational, speech and physiotherapists, as well as orthoptist and clinical psychologists,” Ms Powell said.
She said since air travel from Dubbo to Cobar ceased at the end of last year, she and a speech therapist now have to drive from Dubbo to conduct clinics.
“This places considerable pressure on our time and reduces valuable clinic time with the children of Cobar and surrounding towns.”
She said not only Cobar children access the Cobar clinics, but also children from Nyngan, Warren, Bourke and other nearby towns.
“It is a source of amazement [to me] that the Dubbo-Cobar leg was discontinued, since in my 12 years of travel, the planes were invariably full and I have seen the town’s mining fortunes boom and bust over that time.
“It would be tragic to see the wonderful town of Cobar shrivel and suffer deprivation in many vital service areas due to the lack of an airline service,” Ms Powell said.
Mr Humphries said he was pleased to have the support of Royal Far West in his campaign for more air services.
“It’s critical medical experts have the opportunity to travel west by air, so it maximises expert patient care,” he said.
“Without services to areas of remote NSW it will be continually difficult for experts to have access to patients who really need them.”
The Royal Far West initially made their visits to Cobar in 1931 by rail in specially fitted out railway cars.
They would make regular visits to remote locations such as Cobar, Bourke, Brewarrina, and Byrock where clinic sisters checked and weighed the babies and gave the mothers advice about their care.
Today the Royal Far West continues to visit country areas and provides essential specialist health services which has recently expanded to include mental health, oral health and early intervention.
Royal Far West works in partnership with rural health professionals, other healthcare providers and specialist centres such as children’s hospitals.
It also offers a respite program for country children with special needs.
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