Veterans, disabilities and healthcare

By: greybeard (Registered ) on 16-10-2007 10:35

I worked for a time at Concord Repatriation General Hospital, in an administrative capacity. I remember standing in the foyer, just before the 1990 election, listening to Bob Hawke describe how the handing over of the repat hospitals to the state health system was not going to affect veteran's care! I read in a recent newspaper article about the Royal North Shore hospital, about how one veteran's family had to hire their own agency nurse to ensure he had proper care while he died.  
 
We all knew that the only reason the (Labor) federal government of the day was divesting itself of the repat hositals was to save money. Now both federal parties are making noises about taking over all hospitals!  
 
The simple fact is that this current Liberal federal government has disinvested in so much public infrastructure, including hospitals. But look at the budget surplus! Isn't it wonderful! 
 
On the topic of PTSD, I have a close friend, an ex-nurse, who has lived on the disability pension for the last ten years because of PTSD. She was once often in charge of an intensive care ward in a major public hospital. At times, she was the senior nurse for the whole hospital. While working in a private hospital she was given the VIP patients to look after because of her skills and knowledge. Now she is unemployable.  
 
After grossly incompetent mistreatment by a private therapist (when she still had some money in her bank account), she tried to kill herself. As a result she suffers from the additional burden of a physical disability. 
 
There is not space in this comment to describe her history of mistreatment and neglect by governments state and federal, (and individual practitioners). But the neglect by the state government can, in part, be put down to the cuts in federal funding of which Mr Costello is so proud.  
 
I guess the major point I wanted to make, that follows up on the original posting, is to highlight the desperate plight of all those who suffer from mental and emotional conditions, not just veterans. And those who are dependant on a government pension, public housing and public healthcare and must daily battle uncomprehending bureaucracies to just get by.

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