For the last 25 years, haematologists from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) in Sydney have provided a visiting service to Dubbo. Over time, the local service has also developed, with three haematologists now in Dubbo.
While this collaboration has underpinned the care provided to people living in Dubbo and surrounding communities with inherited bleeding disorders such as haemophilia and von Willebrand disease, many patients still travel to Sydney for clinical reviews and procedures.
Coinciding with Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month on 16 October, Dr Liane Khoo, Director of the Haemophilia Treatment Centre at RPA, along with Haemophilia and Bleeding Disorders Clinical Nurse Consultant, Stephen Matthews, travelled to Dubbo to conduct the clinic.
To make the most of the unique opportunity, the clinic was also supported by a representative of the Haemophilia Foundation NSW. There will be networking opportunities throughout the day to bring together a range of clinical staff with an interest in the care or people with inherited bleeding disorders.
Dr Tom Gleeson, WNSWLHD Consultant Haematologist and one of the clinic's driving forces, said the opportunity provided patients with the unique chance to receive this important, specialised care much closer to home.
"Patients with bleeding disorders such as haemophilia and von Willebrand disease require life-long management from specialist teams at Haemophilia Treatment Centres, which are all located in major city hospitals," Dr Gleeson said.
“Bringing the haematology team from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital out to Dubbo offered patients with these bleeding disorders in western NSW the opportunity to be reviewed and treated closer to home.
“A lot of time and effort went into the coordination of this clinic in Dubbo and we’re thrilled to provide this opportunity for patients to attend a clinic here, instead of travelling to Sydney.
“We hope the success of this first haemophilia clinic will mean more clinics of this kind will be able to be held in Western NSW Local Health District in the future.”
Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said this kind of collaboration and innovation helps bridge the distance between rural and regional communities, and the highly-specialised healthcare services more readily available in Sydney.
I want to commend the haematology teams at both Dubbo and RPA for this initiative, which is improving access to care for patients with inherited bleeding disorders in western NSW," Mr Park said.
“No one in healthcare works in isolation, we have a network of services that work together to get care to the patient, or the patient to the care they need.”
