Three years ago Junee was struggling to keep pathology facility but it now boasts a daily service.
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Junee’s Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) also boasts new technology and nurse Kate Chisholm has returned to operate the collection unit. Ms Chisholm started her career at Wagga’s Base Hospital.
“I’m happy to be back, I enjoy the interaction with patients and I love working in Junee,” Ms Chisholm said.
Local health advisory committee member Janice Brabin said any improvement in service was welcome.
“It’s great to have the service operate five days a week, there’s been a real need for it. Now the community need to support it,” Mrs Brabin said.
General practitioner Darren Corbett welcomed the new service and said it would be valuable addition for in-patients at the MPS.
"Any extra medical services (in Junee) are positive,” he said.
The MPS pathology service operates from 8am to 11am Monday to Friday.
“The pathology service is available near the emergency department in the Junee Multi-Purpose Service,” Pathology West sector unit manager Mark Ashton said.
“We bulk bill and accept any pathology request forms. This latest development builds on the work we carried out last year to install point-of-care testing at the hospital,” Mr Ashton said.
The devices deliver pathology results quicker to staff helping to deliver treatment sooner.
“Being able to pinpoint when a patient is having a potentially life-threatening episode quickly is fantastic,” Junee MPS nurse manager Colleen Power said.
“However, it’s just as helpful to rule out a serious condition that in the past may have meant transporting a patient to a larger hospital like Wagga.”