Maggi Barnard

The Parkes maternity unit will reopen, but based on a model that is safe and sustainable for the community.

This reassurance was given this week by Scott McLachlan, Chief Executive of Western NSW when he briefed local media.

“We will reopen the unit, but it might be a midwifery-based model as is being done all over the country and in many other first world countries.”

He said the shortage of medical personnel was impacting the whole region with 50% of towns in NSW reliant on locums.

According to Scott there are several reasons for the shortage. “General practitioners (GPs) no longer work the hours they used to as work-life balance has become important for families especially for female doctors. They are no longer prepared to be on call 24/7, and a big enough group of specialists are therefore necessary to share responsibilities.”

Hospitals are also reliant on doctors in general practice, and two of the three private practices in Parkes no longer recruit doctors to work in hospital. The ideal level to keep the maternity unit open would be to have four of each specialist.

The third reason is that the ease of locum work has become the preferred option for many doctors as opposed to running a private practice.

Sharon McKay, Director of Rural Health Services, gave the assurance that the crisis point in Parkes was not reached because of bad planning, but that locums had become harder and harder to find at a time when they had to find locums for both the obstetric and anaesthetic positions.

Scott said over the past 18 months locums had also started leap frogging prices by going to different services to chase up rates, and fewer of them were prepared to come to the Central West. He said locums were paid upwards of $3,000 per day on top of being flown in and given accommodation.

The whole of NSW is at a crisis point and it has been identified as the single biggest issue facing all health districts. “In three weeks’ time we are pulling in all medical directors and different national bodies to try and find solutions to this.”

He said they had gone down every road to try and recruit doctors to Parkes, but nothing seemed to be working. Scott and Sharon also had a health roundtable meeting with the mayors and general managers of Parkes and Forbes Shires this week, while consumer focus groups have been initiated.

“We’ve had a really good response so far from mothers and fathers to be,” said Sharon.

She said a substantial investment has also been granted to help the midwives in Parkes obtain advance skills so they can do the same manoeuvres and interventions a doctor can do, bar a C-section.

Another alternative is getting telehealth technology, which is proving to inject new life into rural hospitals, for the Parkes maternity with access to the best specialists.

According to Scott support and focus on rural health has never been bigger.” There is certainly not a lack of money. We’ve had 5% growth every year, which you will find nowhere else in the world.”

“The changes in society have had the biggest impact on all of this.”

By Maggi Barnard

PARKES LIBRARY IS ON THE MOVE!

Parkes Library is packing up and moving to Clarinda Street (next door to Discount Dave’s) for one year as the present library space undergoes extensive renovations and expansion. The Library will be closed from 5th August until 2nd September to allow the Library to relocate. The branch libraries at Peak Hill, Trundle and Tullamore will continue to operate as normal.

The services that will still be available are:
• On-line resources & collections
• Extended loan period
• Increased number of loan items
• Free public computer access
• Returns chute will continue to operate as normal until Saturday, 24th August.
From Monday, 26th August returns can be made at 2/250 Clarinda Street.

FREE PUBLIC COMPUTER ACCESS

During the time the Library is closed, free public computer access will be provided at Parkes Shire Council’s Administration Building at 2 Cecile Street, Monday to Friday from 8.30am – 5pm.

• Computer access will be limited to 30 minutes for essential use (ie, printing, emails & research)
• Computers will not be available for recreational use
• Scanning, printing and photocopying will be available at current charges.

YOUR ONLINE LIBRARY

Remember you can access our online collection and resources, even while the Library is closed. Parkes Shire Library’s Online Catalogue provides members with convenient access to collections and resources, including eMagazines, eBooks & eAudioBooks, and online databases. Visit the Parkes Library website www.parkes. nsw.gov.au then go to My Online Library
where you can access:

• eMagazines – download the RBdigital app and login with your Library membership number.
• eMagazines and eAudioBooks – download the ePlatform app and login with your Library membership number.

Remember Library staff are available until 3rd August to help you download the app if you need.

Parkes took the lead in community transport when Neighborhood Central opened the first ever transit lounge in regional NSW last Friday.

NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the lounge was more than just a place to stop and have a rest.

“Transport is vital to us here,” said Board Chairperson and Deputy Mayor Barbara Newton. “Community Transport enables people to live an independent and full life.

The transit lounge is wonderful and will really make a difference in our community.”

Neighbourhood Central has been providing transport services through Parkes, Forbes and Condobolin Community Transport since 1990. Last year the 135 volunteer drivers delivered 17,000 trips over a combined distance of more than 330,000 kilometres.

Community Transport was also the first to use taxi vouchers. The service has further been expanded with links with other transport services, such as TrainLink. “We have negotiated subsided rates with Regional Express Airlines to fly eligible clients to Sydney,” said Executive Officer Pam Symonds.

The Transit Lounge provides a designated, safe and welcoming space offering passengers a comfortable place to wait while interchanging with other transport services. It was proudly funded by the Transport for NSW Country Passenger Transport Infrastructure Grants Scheme.

Education Week is a state-wide, annual event to celebrate NSW public education.

The aim of the celebration next week from 5-9 August will be to communicate the achievements of public schools, their students and the value of public education.

The theme this year is ‘Every Student, Every Voice’. It is a celebration of student empowerment and how the NSW public education system gives students the skills they need in order to have and express a voice during their own educational journey and as engaged global citizens.

The key messages for this year’s theme are authentic participation, partners in learning, respectful relationships, connecting communities, and change makers.

Parkes Public School will celebrate the week with an Open Day on Wednesday, 7th August with open classrooms on the infants’ side from 11:30am to 12:15pm, and on the primary side from 12:15pm to 1pm. There will be a picnic lunch from 1 to 1:45pm in the Infants playground.

The day concludes with the Education Week Showcase Assembly featuring performances by the senior choir, cultural dance group and the senior band from 2 to 3pm.

It’s been the hottest summer on record, the Great Barrier Reef is perishing before our eyes, climate emergencies have been declared, one million species are at risk of extinction, the planet could warm by two degrees by 2060…

While sinking into misery might feel like the easiest way to process it all, a new Australian documentary wants to lift those feeling crippled by ‘ecoanxiety’ out of their funk.

Damon Gameau, actor-turned-filmmaker’s new film 2040 bills itself as a “journey to explore what the future could look like by the year 2040 if we simply embraced the best solutions already available to us.”

The concept was inspired by Damon Gameau’s five-year-old daughter.

“It was just kind of overwhelming to see the constant negative news about the climate and the future and what kind of world she was going to inherit,” Damon says. “So I just spent about a year looking at the solutions and researching to see what was out there that we could actually do about it, and was pretty blown away by how many things we can do.”

Throughout the film, Damon argues that the answers to climate change are right under our noses – some small shifts in policy are just needed to give them the green light.

Take Bangladesh, for example, where micro solar power networks are providing a renewable energy solution – by allowing residents to quite literally take power into their own hands and share it peer-to-peer.

Will we really solve climate change by 2040?

Damon Gameau says if the world has deteriorated so quickly, we can restore it at a similarly rapid pace.

“And I think there’s such a push for it at the moment all around the world. There’s the kid’s climate strikes, people want to create a new version of the world we’re living in. I think there’s a chance that we might get there. But we’ve got to be able to see it first to even know that it’s possible.

And that’s why I made the film.”

The task is so urgent, Damon says, that it will become his only topic of interest as a filmmaker from now on.

“What else is there? This is the topic,” Damon says, “Because if we don’t get this right, there is no other film worth making.”

(Source: ABC – Ange McCormack)

As we have Spring in our vision, this is a good time to start spending more time outdoors, especially with your dogs. There are a few dos and don’ts of dog walking to ensure that you and your pup get the most out of your walks together.

Dos
• Use the right type of leash: Nylon leashes for unpredictable weather conditions; Leather leashes for hand comfort and to avoid leash burn; Retractable leashes for use in parks and hiking trails; Chain or harness leashes if your pup tends to tug or pull.

• Teach your dog to walk beside you. Be consistent – use the same leash, walk the same route. Tire your dog out just a bit before a walk. Use treats and positive reinforcement when they do the right thing.

• Walk your dog often, daily if possible! It is recommended that dogs get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day, and going for a casual walk around the neighbourhood is a great way to get in that half hour.

• On the rare chance of a separation, make sure that your dog’s identification information is correct and up-to-date.

Don’t:
• Walk your dog without a leash. Even if your dog is well-trained, it tends to be safer and more comfortable.

• Let your dog tug or pull on the leash.

• Walk unprepared for the weather. Always check the weather and prepare by taking plenty of fresh water on a hot day, or put your pup in warm booties on a cold day.

• Let your dog eat plants or romp on unknown lawns which could be sprayed with pesticide.

• Walk your dog without extra waste bags.

(Source: barkefellers.com)

You might have noticed work starting to happen in and around Cooke Park recently that will totally transform the southern end of the Parkes CBD over the next 12 months.

The project includes the Lower Clarinda Street upgrades and the new Cooke Park multipurpose centre. The $8.5 million project forms part of the Parkes CBD Vibrancy Strategy, which was developed from consultation with the community in 2016.

Council recently completed water main renewal works in lower Clarinda Street in preparation for the CBD vibrancy project to start next Thursday, 8th August, while Cabonne Constructions have begun preliminary site works in Cooke Park.

The old Community Hall will be demolished in September to make way for the new multipurpose centre.

The new multipurpose centre will include an events stage, multipurpose room (80 seat capacity) with kitchen facilities, flexi-room, store room and public toilets.

The revitalisation of Lower Clarinda Street has been designed to address specific issues identified during the consultation process. The project will include the construction of new roads, kerbs, gutters and drainage, installation of new street furniture, a new entry sign, landscaping and irrigation, as well as smart street lights.

Construction will stand down during the 2020 Parkes Elvis Festival.

Expected completion date is the second half of 2020. To allow for the work to be undertaken, a number of temporary changes to traffic and pedestrian conditions will be implemented at times and will be advised in advance.

 

The Parkes Railway Hotel helped to kick off a weekend of 50th anniversary celebrations of the Apollo 11 moon landing last Friday with astronomical talks in the Hart Bar.

A crowd of more than 100 people turned up for a night of fascinating talks by three astronomers. “It was a wonderful and informative event,” said organiser Kasie Ferguson, “and a great way to start off the amazing weekend in Parkes.”

Dr Phil Edwards put the events of Parkes Telescope into context with interesting world events and the international music scene over the past 60 years and discussed the Dish’s massive role in the forefront of astronomy for the past 60 years, from understanding of pulsars to searching for extra-terrestrial life.

Dr Shivani Bhandari expressed how much we don’t know. What produces fast radio bursts? What is dark energy? What is dark matter? Did you know that the furthest fast radio burst, 20 billion light years away, was discovered by Parkes?

Dr Karen Lee-Waddell captivated the audience with tales of dancing galaxies. Each galaxy has a unique life story and Karen looks back in time to see how they evolved. They move together in swirling patterns until, over billions of years, they merge together becoming larger and larger galaxies.

Parkes resident Dr Jane Kaczmarek of the Parkes Radio Telescope led the popular question time following each talk. “What really humble-ises astronomers is how much we really don’t know,” she said.

Apart from visiting The Dish of course, the thousands of visitors also visited art and light displays around town, and took selfies with Jaffa the orange astronaut in Cooke Park.