15 November 2004

State Government to fund MRI while Abbott ignores Illawarra

In the face of overwhelming indifference from the Federal Government to the application for a Medicare licence for Wollongong Hospital’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine, the State Government has intervened to fund inpatient services.

The NSW Minister for Health, Morris Iemma, today met with the Minister for the Illawarra, David Campbell, local Members of Parliament and Illawarra doctors to decide how the machine can best be used in the immediate future.

“In the face of Federal Government indifference, David Campbell, Noreen Hay, Paul McLeay, Marianne Saliba, Matt Brown and Sharon Bird, together with local doctors have all approached me seeking a solution to the MRI issue,” Mr Iemma said.

“The Illawarra MPs and Medical Staff Council have convinced me not to wait for the Federal Government to act, but to allow the benefits of the machine to start being realised for the Illawarra.

“In the short term the State Government will fund limited inpatient services so that the machine can be used for accurate diagnosis of emergency and other cases in Wollongong Hospital.

“It is expected the machine will cost $400,000 to operate between now and the end of this financial year. I feel I have no option but to allocate these State funds because the Federal Government is failing to fulfil its responsibilities to work with the NSW Government on the best allocation of MRI licences.

Minister for the Illawarra David Campbell welcomed Mr Iemma’s announcement.

“The State Government decision in no way releases the Federal Government from its obligation to the people of the Illawarra to provide a Medicare licence so maximum use can be made of the machine,” Mr Campbell said.

“The Illawarra is clearly an area of need under the Federal Government’s own criteria for MRI licensing. A Medicare license would allow the machine to be used for outpatient work as well and enable the full benefit of the State Government’s $2.8 million investment in the purchase of the machine to be delivered,” he said.

It’s expected the machine will be operating within a month.

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au