Warren Aubin casts doubt over of locums coming to Bathurst after loss of registrars

The Western NSW Local Health District is working to find staff that can be brought in to replace the registrars who are being withdrawn from Bathurst Base Hospital's medical roster.

The registrars, who are qualified doctors in training to become specialists, will be sent to other facilities following Friday's decision by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) to withdrawn accreditation for medical registrar training at Bathurst Base Hospital.

The RACP cited concerns about the supervision and workload of registrars.

READ MORE: Royal Australasian College of Physicians pulls doctors from Bathurst Hospital

Mr Aubin, the spokesperson for the Bathurst Health Services Action Group and a Bathurst Regional councillor, said the hospital is in dire straits.

"It's a terrible, horrible situation for our hospital to be in," he said.

"We've said it time and time again, for a hospital in our region that is a growing region, the fastest growing in regional NSW, we've been left behind with the health service.

"If we want to keep growing, we've got to get a decent health service here, one equivalent to the Orange and the Dubbo [services], not one that's the poor cousin of the western hospitals.

"It's just ridiculous that we find ourselves in this situation."

He is concerned that locums and contracted medical officers will refuse to come to Bathurst to work in a hospital that is significantly understaffed and under resourced.

"Why would a doctor want to come to a disaster zone and put themselves through working in a disaster zone," he said.

"Why would anyone do it?"

The loss of four medical registrars comes days after the Australian Medical Association (AMA) released its report cards on the performance of public hospitals.

Bathurst Base Hospital was rated one of the worst in the Central West, receiving red light ratings for most emergency department response times, along with red and yellow light ratings for timely delivery of elective surgeries.

The AMA cited a lack of funding as the primary issue leading to the poor performance of hospitals.

READ MORE: 'Constant pressure': Staff shortages the reason for hospital deficiencies, Aubin says

A $200 million redevelopment of Bathurst Base Hospital is in the early planning stages, but Mr Aubin said the community can't wait for that.

"Everyone's looking at this $200 million injection from the state government being the saviour for Bathurst Hospital," he said.

"Well, I'm telling you, the way it is going, by 2025 when that money comes there won't be a hospital to spend it on."

He said the WNSWLHD hasn't been giving the Bathurst hospital the budget it needs for decades, with Orange and Dubbo hospitals being prioritised.

"Bathurst has been left way behind," he said.

The only solution Mr Aubin can see is to get more money directed into the Bathurst Hospital as a matter of urgency, and in addition to the $200 million redevelopment, so training programs can continue.

"That is the only way that you're going to attract people to come here, is if they know that they can come and continue their training," he said.

"If they can't, they're walking into a zone where they're just going to be underpaid and overworked."

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