One family’s push for peritoneal dialysis services at Beaudesert Hospital is gaining traction as the community gets behind the petition.
Col Watson, who lives with kidney disease and is on peritoneal dialysis at home, currently needs his wife Tanya to drive him to Logan Hospital for treatment because there are no peritoneal dialysis services or nurses at Beaudesert Hospital.
Peritoneal Dialysis Patient Speaks Up
Beaudesert kidney disease patient Col Watson is speaking up for himself and others like him in a petition to the Queensland Parliament, sponsored by State MP Jon Krause.
His family is asking the Queensland Government for a peritoneal dialysis nurse and services at Beaudesert Hospital, so they don’t have to do the two hour round trip to Logan.
Col’s wife Tanya, who has been by his side for 25 years, said it would make a significant difference to the family’s quality of life.
Col, 44, has an appointment every three months at Logan Hospital and Tanya administers his peritoneal dialysis – four bags a day – at home.
If anything goes wrong in between, he cannot get treated locally.
“Just to get a patch done I have to go all the way over to Logan, for a 10-minute thing, and if I get it wet, I have to travel all the way back because the nurses here aren’t allowed to touch it. To get tape, gauze or anything like that you’ve got to go back to Logan,” Col said.
“I’ve got Brian – my motorised scooter – and I could cruise just around the corner to Beaudesert Hospital, but I’ve got to get driven to Logan.”
Col said he hoped the petition would make a difference beyond his own needs.
“It’s a newer hospital so let’s use the bloody thing. All the old people say back in their day there was more up there than there is now,” he said.
Jon Krause urged people to get behind it.
“This petition is about providing dignity to those who need this vital dialysis service. I’d like people to really get behind it not just to support Col and people like him but to really send a message that we deserve better health services,” he said.
In response to an enquiry to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath about including peritoneal dialysis services in the upcoming Queensland Budget, the Beaudesert Bulletin received the following statement, to be attributed to a Metro South Health Spokesperson:
“Metro South Health continues to review services across the region to enhance patient care while optimising the use of resources to best respond to demand and the healthcare needs of the community,” it read.
“Services like the fortnightly chronic kidney disease clinic has been operating at Beaudesert Hospital for a number of years and ensures patients can be cared for closer to home. Patients requiring other specialised services are referred to Logan Hospital.”
At time of print the petition, which closes on 17 June, had 608 signatures online and pages of signatures in hard copy.
To sign, visit https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Petition-Details?id=3739 or visit Heits Butcher, Scenic Rim Discount Drug Store, Beaudesert Medical Centre and Mitre 10.
