Mum fears for daughters if medical specialist driven off #qldpol #smoqld #keepourdoctors #nambour
REBECCA Wood and daughter Ella Russell are the public faces of the Sunshine Coast’s escalating public health crisis.
As Nambour General Hospital specialists threaten to quit over new State Government contracts, Mrs Wood fears five-year-old autistic daughter Ella will lose access to the doctor who has treated her for the past four years.
Dr Heidi Webster is the Sunshine Coast’s only developmental and behavioural physician and has treated Ella since she was two.
“Heidi is just really loving and caring and does the best for these kids and she supports the parents,” Ms Wood said. “She’s just always lovely with the kids. They always feel happy with her.
“If Ella has a horrendous meltdown and is nasty, Heidi is patient with her.”
Dr Webster was one of more than 70 doctors rallying outside Nambour General Hospital last week against the proposed new public hospital contracts set by the Newman Government.
Doctors already have reportedly resigned, with more threatening to follow.
“Why are they risking losing these professionals? It’s loopy,” Ms Wood said.
“What would happen to kids like Ella if we didn’t have these people?”
Dr Webster used to see Ella every six months, but has scaled that back to annual visits. Ms Wood said regardless of how regular the visits were, Dr Webster was always approachable and accommodating.
“I needed forms for school … she posted them to me and I had them in two days,” she said.
“Most paediatricians would make me see them and charge me a fortune.”
Ms Wood said if Dr Webster was driven out of the system, “Ella wouldn’t have a paediatrician”.
“I’m only on a carer’s payment. I can’t afford to go privately,” she said. “A private session costs $400 to $500.”
Money aside, Ms Wood said she had be hard struck to find anyone with Dr Webster’s compassion.
“It’s having someone who understands the kids,” she said. “Heidi gets down on their level and interacts with them. She’s a really dedicated person and genuinely cares for and supports the families.”
Source: Caboolture News