Published at Leongatha for South Gippsland
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$1.20 The Great Southern
Star
TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2010
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PUBLISHED TUESDAY 52 PAGES
Show time
Real estate
Page 13
Page 23
Surfin’ girl Sport
Licence to thrill WATCH out when Serena Borg, of Bena, gets her licence. The young speedster was all smiles as she took part in the billy cart derby at Coal Creek on Sunday. Competitors in various age groups showed their skills on the village’s main street at the Apex Korumburra-organised event. Simon Mayo, of Leongatha, won the opportunity to drive a V8 Supercar around Calder Park for his billy cart efforts.
Surgical cut Doctor fears operations to be moved from Leongatha By Brad Lester A RESPECTED doctor believes the State Government will most likely concentrate surgery at Wonthaggi Hospital at the expense of Leongatha. Dr George Owen, an orthopedic surgeon who has operated at Leongatha Memorial Hospital for 23 years, has backed a community campaign to redevelop the town’s hospital, saying the existing theatre suite is too small by modern standards. But he is unsure whether that will
eventuate, saying the Department of Health prefers to centralise regional surgery at larger hospitals. “I have a suspicion (in this case) that will be Wonthaggi because that hospital also services Phillip Island and the Bass Coast. In a geographical sense, Leongatha is closer (to broader South Gippsland) but then Korumburra has its own hospital,” he said. “I think Spring Street will decide which hospital will get the nod.” The central sterilising department and the maternity area at the Wonthaggi hospital will be upgraded this year. The Star sought comment from the
Department of Health about its policy on locating services but the department did not respond. However, a spokesperson for Victorian Health Minister Daniel Andrews said: “It’s logical that more gets done at the larger centres than the smaller
health centres and a wider range of surgery, but I don’t think anything has changed (about our policy).” The future of surgery in South Gippsland is likely to be directed by the South Coast Area Based Health Service Plan, which will determine delivery of health services in the region and is due to be publicly released late next month. Dr Owen labelled the operating theatre at Leongatha as “tiny” and “little”, and said the cramped conditions restricted the scope of surgery able to be performed there. “It’s the smallest theatre I’ve
worked in,” he said. “It’s got significant limitations in the type of things I can do there because of its space and with the amount of equipment that you need and trolleys and monitors and power tools, you just can’t get it all in. “The space for preparing sterile instruments is pretty tight. The recovery room can only take two patients. The staff tea room is like a little pokey hole, it’s quite ordinary really. It’s the whole theatre suite, not just the theatre. The store room, the sterilising room, they all need to be upgraded.” Continued on page 3.