Carnarvon to benefit from Mobile Emergency Medical Unit

27/7/04
Emergency response capabilities will significantly improve in Carnarvon, thanks to a joint effort by the region's emergency services.
Staff from the Carnarvon Hospital emergency department, local State Emergency Service, St John Ambulance and police have raised nearly $23,000 towards designing an emergency medical trailer, which will be used as a mobile emergency medical unit at accident sites in the area.
Parliamentary Health Secretary Sue Ellery said the mobile unit would enable first class interventional medical facilities to be available at accident sites within the area.
"Not only will it help support the doctor attending to accident casualties, but it will lessen the logistical and emotional demands placed on first aid trained volunteers in triaging critical care trauma cases," Ms Ellery said.
"The trailer, which can be hitched to a vehicle and towed to an accident site, will be owned by the community and managed by local volunteer emergency services."
Ms Ellery said Carnarvon's medical services would receive a further boost with the introduction of a new visiting oral surgery service starting today.
"The service will target public patients who have been on the waiting list at Carnarvon Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation dental clinic or the Oral Health Centre of WA (UWA)," she said.
"This new initiative in oral health will make life a lot easier for public dental patients as they will now be able to have specialist oral surgery at Carnarvon Hospital instead of having to travel to Perth."
The service was established by the Centre for Rural and Remote Oral Health and represents a successful collaboration between Carnarvon Hospital, the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia, Carnarvon Medical Aboriginal Service Corporation and the Centre for Rural and Remote Oral Health.
Minister's Office - 9220 5000