Patients who need treatment for any haematology issue can have an initial consultation in Bowral but those who do not have private health insurance are required to travel to Liverpool, Sydney or Campbelltown for further care. 

The Southern Highlands Private Hospital was recently in negotiations with the public system to have Bowral and District Hospital pay a fee so public patients could be treated at the cancer centre.

This arrangement already happens with oncology treatment. However the negotiations fell through earlier this year. A spokesperson for Bowral and District Hospital said the hospital would continue to work with specialist staff to “identify how to best provide haematology services” to patients.

“Liverpool Hospital is the specialist centre for haematology services in South Western Sydney,” they said.

“Two haematology outpatient clinics per month operate at Bowral and District Hospital.”

But chair of the Southern Highlands Cancer Leadership Committee Grahame Hackett said it was a serious issue that needed to be addressed.

“We were very disappointed because we’d been led to believe it was all going to go through,” he said.

Mr Hackett said because haematology was not listed in the top few priorities at Bowral and District Hospital, the funding for a contract with the private hospital was not made available.

Patients who cannot be treated in Bowral face a long trip to Liverpool, with many costs involved.

Mr Hackett said some patients often had to be treated up to three times a week and the added stress of travel made recovering from treatment much harder.

“There’s evidence to show that if the patient is treated locally they do better because there’s less stress and they’re home sooner after their treatment.”

While the Cancer Leadership Committee offers a service where volunteers drive patients to their treatments, there are some who have no option but to catch public transport.

“The worst case I was told by a haematology doctor was of a man who was dying and needed treatment every week who went up by train,” Mr Hackett said.

“It’s a problem that can be fixed. It’s costing money to treat them at Liverpool so why not pay the money down here?”