As the 2023 state election campaign moves into overdrive and awareness builds, we're asking the friendly folk of the Illawarra about pressing issues - such as health.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In the ACM survey the state of the health system topped your concerns. Specifically though, as the politicians wind up their campaigns for another four years, we wanted the candidates to hear your specific thoughts on what's going wrong where.
"The lack of staff, that's concerning that hospitals are under[staffed] at the moment. When you get a bit older it's nice to know that you're looked after but at the moment not so much."
Drew Pengilly, Wollongong
"To be able to get into a GP you know with bulk billing on the day you're sick not three weeks later. Sometimes you're lucky sometimes you're not."
Sean Neale, Bulli
"From what you read there is [an] overload on the casualty system at the hospital and so for people that are really, really sick or need urgent care they've got to wait for hours, and so to have these other clinics, which might have a registered nurse or someone like that doing it."
"Also, putting the money into training more doctors and nurses.
"I'd like to see a Medicare system rebate for dental work because that's very expensive."
John Stewart, Wollongong
"We always rely on that going to the local GP that we'd be bulk-billed and now we have to pay for that as well. Like it's just just crazy because you have to pay for a specialist as well. Where does it stop?"
Maryam Aslan, Wollongong
"I was waiting two and a half to three hours before I got taken into a birthing suite. They didn't have enough staff or space. I couldn't get any medicine until I was in the specific room."
"More staff is what we need: more midwives, more general nurses, more doctors."
Brooke Bergmann, Thirlmere
"The government put everything up, you can't see a doctor or get medication because of the cost."
Elizabeth Vahl, Dapto
"There's not enough services and not enough doctors."
Karolina Sftar, Dapto
"There needs to be a lot more services to help people quit smoking."
Dave Carter, Wollongong
"I would like to see more bulk-billing. The cost is getting too much. It's also hard to see a doctor sometimes because there aren't enough appointments. I go to the Dapto Medical Centre because they still bulk bill me. I have been going to the same doctor for a couple of years now."
Alisa-Ann Turner, Wollongong
"There should be more GP appointments, especially on the weekends because that's when I have some time to see a doctor, I'm busy throughout the week. There just aren't any when I want to see a doctor. It's hard when you're a full-time uni student."
Brehanan Bowerman, Wollongong
