Southern Highlands Renal Appeal continues push for dialysis unit

Despite this statistic, the hospital denied claims that the chair purchased by the community in 2008 “had been moth-balled.”

In 2008 the Southern Highlands Renal Appeal funded a self-dialysis chair at Bowral and District Hospital. 

However Geoff Byrne, a member of the community group said they were only aware of three people that had ever used the chair. 

“No one seems to know it’s there, it’s not even listed as a service on their website,” he said. 

A South Western Sydney Local Health District spokesperson confirmed that it had only been used once in the past five years. 

The community group also raised more than $700,000 which is sitting in a trust for the creation of a renal unit at the hospital. 

In a Sydney South West Area Health Service media release dated June 18, 2008 then Bowral hospital general manager Denis Thomas thanked locals for getting behind the Southern Highlands Renal Appeal (SHRA). 

“The local community helped raise sufficient funds to cover the cost of dialysis services at  Bowral Hospital for the foreseeable future,” he said. 

“Specialist nurses can provide an extra level of support to independent dialysis patients who would normally dialyse from home, but have chosen to undergo dialysis at the hospital.”

While SHRA members have raised concerns as to whether the chair is still there, current Bowral and District Hospital general manager Valerie Jovanovic said the chair “remains available for patient use”. 

But not all renal patients can use the chair. It is only for patients who undertake self-dialysis. Medical staff are not available to assist.

Those who self dialyse find it more comfortable doing so at home, and Wingecaribee Shire Council makes this decision more attractive for renal patients. 

A council spokesman confirmed a small rebate is offered to offset water consumption costs, as lots of water is needed to operate a dialysis machine. 

The first kilolitre of water used by renal patients who self dialyse is free of charge. 

However, self dialysis isn’t undertaken by a lot of renal patients as it is a daunting task. 

When dialysing at home, renal patients need to connect the machine to their own fistula - which is the direct connection of an artery to a vein.

Former Highlander and renal patient Gina Pash knows the struggle of self dialysis. 

“I am too frightened to insert the dialysis needle into my fistula,” she said. 

“My eyesight is is also impaired through Type 1 diabetes, and is not good enough to do that.”

Gina requires dialysis three times a week in Sydney and as self dialysis was not an option, she had to leave Bowral and move closer to Westmead Hospital. 

“It seems crazy to have a chair available but unusable,” Gina said. 

Mr Byrne said that the lack of a dialysis unit at Bowral hospital is diminishing patient’s quality of life. 

“Moving away from your friends and family to be near dialysis is terrible,” he said. 

“That’s no way to live, it’s taking away their lives.”