This is in direct contrast to an announcement last month by Healthe Care Australia – the new operators of Mayo Private Hospital at Kolodong – that they would partner with Mid North Coast Diagnostic Imaging to provide Manning residents with their first MRI (medical resonance imaging) scanner – at the Mayo.

Ms Skinner’s confirmation comes at the same time as federal member for Lyne Rob Oakeshott announced he has written to State member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead and the Hunter New England Local Health District, seeking support to establish the unit at the public (Manning) hospital (see separate story).

Mr Oakeshott said he shares concerns the MRI unit will be lost to the public hospital unless health authorities are able to allocate a space for it at Manning Hospital.

Mr Oakeshott made a formal submission to the federal government in January seeking the allocation of a Medicare-eligible MRI licence for the public hospital. However in April, Healthe Care Australia, which takes over management of the Mayo Hospital on July 1, announced it would bring the city’s first MRI unit to Taree, as it worked on a “broader healthcare plan for (Mayo) and the region which will also include a $6 million redevelopment of the hospital”.

Under Commonwealth licensing arrangements, only one MRI unit can operate within a local area.

At present, Manning residents have to travel to either Port Macquarie or Newcastle to access MRI facilities. Medical specialists argue there will be a major cost – and personal trauma – advantage in patient travel if Taree were to have its own unit, and that if a unit is established here, it should be at the public hospital, where the majority of patients would be located.

Ms Skinner has told the Times she understands Hunter New England Health has been approached by Mid North Coast Diagnostic Imaging with a proposal to develop an MRI scanning service at Taree’s public hospital, and that she has also received correspondence regarding this subject.

“I am advised that the Local Health District has completed a detailed business case to identify the funding and planning required to establish a new service.

“I understand that the Local Health District has provided the business case to the Manning Hospital Medical Staff Council and is awaiting the council’s feedback.”

Ms Skinner said this “important issue” was raised during her visit to Manning Hospital last month.

“At that time I made it clear that because I have devolved responsibility down to a local level, the issue needed to be addressed directly with the chief executive, the board and the medical staff council.”

Nothing has been heard further of Healthe Care Australia’s proposal, since its initial announcement in April. The Times has tried several times this month to contact its chief executive officer, Steve Atkins, but as of yesterday he had not returned our calls.

MRIs are used to detect problems within the body or brain without surgery, and can identify abnormalities from outside the body.

When announcing Mayo’s plans last month, Mr Atkins said “Not everyone can make the hour-plus trip (to Port Macquarie) to get to radiology services which is a concern when this is an important step for doctors in diagnosis, care and treatment of patients. There is a real need for more radiology expertise in town to satisfy doctor requirements and to effectively treat patients locally.”

The lack of an MRI scanner in Taree was highlighted in March by Dr Murray Hyde-Page, chairman of the medical staff council of Manning Hospital, who continues to push for early preparation of a clinical services plan for the hospital.

He said the lack of an MRI highlighted the difficulties faced in Taree, due to lack of services being funded by governments at other regional hospitals.

A proposal to install an MRI scanner at Manning Hospital was originally knocked back because there was insufficient room for it and no plans for future expansion, Dr Hyde-Page said in March.

“Taree patients needing an MRI must travel to Port Macquarie or Newcastle, causing delays, inconvenience, higher costs, and adding to waiting times at those centres.”

Dr Hyde-Page suggested then that doctors and experts would be getting together to discuss possible ways to achieve a result much sooner. He said it was also time for local health professionals to further the public campaign and let the people know they are not getting what they deserve.

A Hunter New England Health spokesperson told the Times a space has been identified at Manning Hospital as a potential area for an MRI unit.

“The existing space identified adjacent to the current Radiology Department is a suitable size and location for an MRI unit, and has been highlighted as a potential area for MRI,” the spokesperson said. “However, there are significant modifications required to services within the existing facility to make it into an appropriate clinical space to house and operate the MRI unit.”

Hunter New England Health would not comment on cost saving measures which might be achieved through fewer patient transfers, if the MRI was located at Manning Hospital, and not Mayo, which is about 10 minutes away.

“Our inpatients are transported under the care of nurses and by ambulance to ensure they receive care in transport. We do not transport acutely unwell people until their condition is stable,” the spokesperson said.