"Griffith is missing a lot when it comes to health."
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That's the diagnosis of osteopath Ross Hamilton, who is Farrer's Sustainable Australia Party candidate in the upcoming federal election.
He came to town to announce his health policy, which includes a new bone fracture clinic for Griffith to be integrated with Your Health.
Mr Hamilton considers it a basic service that a city as big as Griffith should already have, but currently those who break their bones need to take the trip to Wagga Wagga to see a specialist.
It costs Griffith patients big time, but Mr Hamilton said the lack of medical services in regional areas also has damaging consequences throughout the entire health system.
"I view health a lot like an ecosystem; everything has to work together smoothly for the whole system to work well," Mr Hamilton said.
"If you're missing one part the rest of the network suffers."
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Mr Hamilton says there are missing gaps peppered throughout the health system, which leads to serious problems further down the line.
He says he's seen people with autoimmune disease have their condition escalate while they spend months "twiddling their thumbs" as they languish on medical waiting lists.
What should have been a quick, simple procedure turns into a long, expensive ordeal that places an extra burden on the health system and medical staff.
Mr Hamilton says he's seen doctors and nurses struggling to cope with the workload, which leads to a stressed workforce and a low retention rate in regional areas.
"One of the reasons I'm working as many hours as I am is we can't get osteos or physios to move to somewhere as simple as Albury," Mr Hamilton said.
The story is much the same for the rest of Farrer, which is why he will be making health his main election platform for the upcoming federal election on May 18.
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