People living with complex nutritional conditions in the Murrumbidgee will no longer have to travel long distances to receive specialist care, following the official launch of a Home Parenteral Nutrition Program in Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
Home Parenteral Nutrition is a life-sustaining therapy for people with intestinal failure and other conditions that prevent adequate nutrition from being absorbed through the digestive system.
Until now, patients requiring this highly specialised treatment have often needed to travel regularly to Sydney for review and ongoing management.
The new Murrumbidgee-based service will enable patients to receive specialist care and support closer to home, reducing the burden of travel and improving access to treatment for people living in regional and rural communities.
Murrumbidgee Local Health District is among the first regional health services in Australia to establish a Home Parenteral Nutrition program.
The service has been established in collaboration with dietetics, nursing, pharmacy, intensive care medicine and administration teams and has been made possible through a strong partnership between the District and the Home Parenteral Nutrition Team at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.
Clinicians from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital recently transitioned the first patient to the new service in Murrumbidgee. As part of the service launch, clinicians from RPA will today visit Wagga Wagga Base Hospital to provide education and training to local healthcare staff and formally inaugurate the service.
The service will create opportunities for greater collaboration with leading specialist centres, support research and innovation, and strengthen the future of specialist nutrition services in regional NSW.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:
"Every person deserves access to high-quality healthcare, no matter where they live, and this new service means people in the Murrumbidgee can receive specialist nutrition care much closer to home."
"Patients with complex conditions now no longer have to travel long distances for routine reviews and ongoing support when that care can be provided safely in their local community."
"This program is another example of the Minns Labor Government's commitment to improving access to specialist healthcare services in rural and regional NSW and ensuring communities receive the care they need closer to home."
Quotes attributable to Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr:
"This is a significant achievement for our region and a major step forward for people who rely on this highly specialised therapy.
"The dedication and collaboration shown by Murrumbidgee Local Health District staff in bringing this service to the region should be recognised and congratulated. Their work will have a lasting impact on patients across our community."
Quotes attributable to Murrumbidgee Local Health District Chief Executive Emma Field:
"Being able to provide this service locally will reduce the need to travel and allow patients to receive expert care closer to home, surrounded by their families and support networks.
"This program demonstrates our commitment to delivering high-quality specialist healthcare in regional communities and ensuring people can access the care they need without having to leave the region whenever possible.
"This program is another example of how we are expanding specialist services locally and improving health outcomes for the communities we serve."
Quotes attributable to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital Intensive Care Unit Director Swapnil Pawar:
"The formal handover of the first Home Parental Nutrition patient from RPA Hospital to Murrumbidgee is a significant moment.
"It demonstrates what can be achieved through strong partnerships between metropolitan and regional health services and marks the beginning of a new model of care for patients across the Murrumbidgee.
"The initiative represents an important step forward in ensuring patients with complex nutritional needs can receive expert, coordinated care within their own community while remaining connected to specialist services when required."
Quotes attributable to RPA Head of Nutrition and Dietetics Professor Sharon Carey:
"The team at RPA is proud to work alongside our colleagues in Murrumbidgee to build the necessary skills and systems needed to deliver Home Parenteral Nutrition at a regional level. It is great to see patients get the care they need so much closer to home."]
"This partnership reflects just how well our two health districts work together - sharing our expertise with our regional colleagues so patients no longer have to choose between specialist treatment and staying close to home."
Quotes attributable to Home Parental Nutrition program patient Roslyn Williams of Ardlethan:
"Establishing this service in Wagga Wagga will make accessing care much easier for local patients.
"It will be particularly reassuring in an emergency to know that specialist care is much closer to home."
