The region's state member has called on the local health district to help bring a promised radiation therapy unit to the city, stating one which folds into the hospital will benefit more people than a private provider.
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A radiation therapy unit for Griffith was promised in April 2019 but applications for a provider of the service has only opened this month, with federal Member for Farrer Sussan Ley telling The Area News a decision on a provider is expected by early 2021.
However, state Member for Murray Helen Dalton is urging the Murrumbidgee Local Health District to put in an application for the unit - labeling the proposed unit "an absolute gift" for the region which should be folded into the current redevelopment of the city's base hospital.
"You'd think the timing is just perfect, but there are no plans for it," Mrs Dalton said.
"Here's an opportunity for Griffith to really wipe its own face and provide these essential life saving services for patients closer to here."
The current redevelopment of the Griffith Base Hospital does not indicate a specific area for a proposed radiation therapy unit.
"We've contacted the Murrumbidgee Local Health District and we've flagged it a couple of times and they're not interested in the radiation clinic at all," Mrs Dalton said.
"They're just saying Wagga Wagga supplies all our needs which is not good enough given the amount of cases out in our district."
Mrs Dalton indicated a significant reason a unit in Griffith would be suitable is to allow cancer sufferers from throughout the MIA and beyond to avoid long round trips just to access treatment - and a publicly-funded unit through the hospital would allow for costs to reduce the burden on sufferers.
"Griffith does serve a big area," Mrs Dalton said.
"People that are out at Hay and Hillston that have to travel three hours for essential life saving treatment to Wagga - the situation could improve if we had this clinic set up here ... it'd really save a lot of travel time and disruption to their lives."
"Not everyone can afford to pay, so some people would still have to travel to Wagga if they couldn't afford to pay for a private provider here if it was established.
"If it goes to the hospital there will be a high chance it will be covered by Medicare and it would put us on a par with a lot of other places too ... it brings people here to town too, they may come for treatment and they'll spend their money here."
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Any potential radiation therapy unit would require new staff moving to the region and Mrs Dalton said while staffing specialised health services "is always going to be difficult", a plan needs to be developed to help bring people to the area.
"We need to plan for it, there's no doubt about that," Mrs Dalton said.
"You just can't snap your fingers and expect people to just turn up - it's going to take time and it's going to take a fair bit of energy to do this, but the money has been allocated ... why wouldn't you have a go at it?
"Allow us to help ourselves in our own local government area or district rather than have to go to Wagga."
MLHD were approached for comment.