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June1952's avatar
June1952
Member
3 years ago

Calling all Regional and Rural members

Hi everyone

I saw that @apie had put a post up re a call for improvements to the NSW travel and accommodations schemes
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/24951/can-you-add-more-suggestions-re-travel-accommodation-schemes-in-australia#latest but I am in Victoria so at the moment this does not relate to me.

A couple of things to discuss:

1.  The above callout for members to join the Rural and Remote Group - please join and have your say to help each other and to make sure those in the know are aware there are issues for you and 
2.  I have a friend who lives on the NSW central coast and she usually goes all the way to Sydney for her Zoladex injection.  She has tried several clinics to have the injection locally but no, none are taking new patients.  WTF ??  (Sorry but you all know what that means)  - Why do rural and remote members have to travel so far for such a simple thing ?????

Yes, I do realise that nurses require some additional education and approval to do these injections but, really, surely members should not have to travel such a distance for a few minutes to have an injection administered ?

@Mez_BCNA  and others - can BCNA please investigate this issue and start to make some noises ?

If this issue affects members in other States please add to this post and hope someone will take notice (and act).  A small day-to-day necessity which is so cumbersome.

Thank you so much everyone

10 Replies

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  • Mez_BCNA's avatar
    Mez_BCNA
    Community Manager
    3 years ago
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    Thankyou for keeping this important conversation going @June1952 and fellow members. I have shared a link to your discussion post with our Policy & Advocacy Project Manager who was the driver behind the creation of the new group  :)
  • Keeping_positiv's avatar
    Keeping_positiv
    Member
    3 years ago
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    I am not regional or rural, but would be nice if we could ALL get treatment in the closest regional area that we reside in.  
  • arpie's avatar
    arpie
    Member
    3 years ago
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    Sorry to hear that, @FLClover

    Every time something is made more difficult for those who live in regional areas - it is like a kick in the guts.  It takes you back to when you heard your diagnosis ... it mucks with your brain.  

    When relatively 'simple things' are made more difficult than they have to - it is TOTALLY unfair on all of us. grrrr
  • FLClover's avatar
    FLClover
    Member
    3 years ago
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    You’re so right @June1952!! I’ve also had trouble getting my Zoladex injection in the regional area I live. The receptionist won’t even let you make an appointment, let alone allow a GP or nurse to administer it. How disgusting. They seem to have no clue of what ladies like us are going through. 
    I agree that BCNA need to investigate this and support us in getting these procedures be more easily accessible to us. We have enough to worry about without these things to add extra pressure. Thanks for this post! ☺️☺️

    @arpie, I have signed your petition ☺️. 
  • arpie's avatar
    arpie
    Member
    3 years ago
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    That is totally unacceptable, @wendy55 ... when you have a chemo unit just down the road.  :(   

    I bet a politician living in the area wouldn't accept that lack of commonsense ..... 

    Whilst I am at it - a parliamentarian had tabled a request to get Medicinal Cannabis Oil onto the PBS to relieve patients of the extreme expense of accessing it at ridiculous costs in pharmacies, or under the table .....I am SO annoyed that this was only made 'known' a few days ago .... I am SURE we would have got way more signatures than the 6687 that DID sign up!  :(    it really is ESSENTIAL to get this onto PBS, for easier access to non opioid pain killers - less side effects & it is a HERB for God's sake!!

    Sadly, the petition has 'closed' now :( 
    https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN4383
  • wendy55's avatar
    wendy55
    Member
    3 years ago
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    hi all, i have my denusonab injection given to me by the community health care nurse who works out of the community health care centre, i live in a rural community,the nurses are wonderful and she also gives me my vitamin b12 injection as well, my biggest gripe is i have to travel a 4 hour round trip and 300 ks to have my chemo infusion, something that takes a total of 12 minutes 7 minutes for the infusion and 5 minutes for the flush, and yet we have a hospital 4ks down the road with a 4 chair chemo suite, only open 1 day a week, but i have tried everything and they will not let me have it there, yes there is no oncologist in the hospital but we have a dr 24/7 there and video conferencing as well i have been doing this for 10months - do the math re ks and time, SA Health have a lot to answer for.

    wendy55
  • June1952's avatar
    June1952
    Member
    3 years ago
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    That is great @iserbrown.  Unfortunately, as in many areas, the GP shortage has meant that patients are unable to access a new GP if they have relocated.  It is often easier to see a nurse but again only if one is a current patient at the practice.
  • iserbrown's avatar
    iserbrown
    Member
    3 years ago
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    Zoladex injection, can be administered by a GP......that was my experience as I live a long way from the Oncologist, he administered the first and then gave me scripts for the injection for my GP to look after

  • Keeping_positiv's avatar
    Keeping_positiv
    Member
    3 years ago
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    Let's hope BCNA can ruffle a few feathers for those members who cannot get treatment in their own region, especially something as simple as a Zoladex injection, for a start!