Well-known cancer spokesperson Don Howe believes Greater Western Area Health Service (GWAHS) needs to better plan its spending in order to provide adequate services to the central west.

Mr Howe, who suffers from myeloma, a condition similar to leukaemia, said revelations in September 25’s Weekend Liberal that 300 men had been denied bowel cancer tests due to GWAHS’ unpaid debts showed the shortcomings of the health service.

He also added GWAHS needed to be restructured in order to provide adequate care.

“GWAHS has consistent problems and it needs to be broken down in order for us to get progress,” Mr Howe said.

“As it stands GWAHS is too big and there is inter-city fighting between Dubbo, Orange and Bathurst for funds and that doesn’t help anybody.

“I’ve actually started going to private pathology for treatment of my condition because I get a much better response.”

Mr Howe’s condition requires regular blood testing.

He cited a case in 2006 as a reason the local health service was falling down.

“The Christmas before last I went to Dubbo Base Hospital because I needed a test and they didn’t have any ‘butterflies’, which are an essential part of any blood testing process,” he said.

“It’s not only the fact they can’t pay their bills, it’s the fact that they don’t direct their resources in the right way that worries me.”

Mr Howe said the further west you go, the bigger the problems.

He said Dubbo was lucky to have any facilities at all but people west of the city had larger battles to fight than those living in Dubbo.

“Recent sensible research into cancer showed the likelihood of getting cancer was considerable higher in rural areas and considerably higher again in GWAHS,” Mr Howe said.

“People in places like Bourke and Brewarrina face a 1000km road trip to Dubbo just to get a test.

“No matter how bad we think we’ve got it, for those people it’s harder and when the bills aren’t being paid and that facility isn’t being utilised it gets even harder again.”

ben.walker@ruralpress.com