Why the Gladstone Hospital upgrade will help my family

This story was submitted by Jenny Morris, a mum and psychologist. If you have a story you'd like to share, click here.

IN many ways, I wish I didn't feel so compelled to write this as 'my story'. However, I have always believed in that cliché that things happen for a reason.

I have read with great interest the announcements in relation to our State Government's health initiatives in this week's Budget.

I know, I know, who would have thought "great interest" and "state government budget" in the same sentence could ever be something I would say!

The turn of events over the last few years in the lives of our children and their ill health issues means that I, and my family, are very invested in hearing about any changes to our local and state health services.

This is because of the reality for us; it is an area we have become very familiar with.

Our 15-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter have ongoing, and at times chronic, health concerns that mean navigating referrals, specialist appointments, hospital waiting rooms and backs of ambulances have become a common part of life.

How do you best advocate for your child's needs when you know the people on the front line are amazing and doing their best...

We have learned that seeing your children sick is incredibly hard but that feeling like you are utilising a system where everyone employed is often working hard and doing their best but it is still not enough is harder.

How do you best advocate for your child's needs when you know the people on the front line are amazing and doing their best but seem so limited by the lack of resources, communication barriers and impacted by policies and procedures?

Do you yell, scream and cry to get what is needed, risking upsetting those who are most there to help or do you sit quietly hoping against hope that it will be ok?

This needs to change - I am not into problems, as my kids hear me say often, come to me with a solution not a problem.

It is unrealistic to think that all state of the art medical technology and associated staff can be readily available in all locations given the vast distances and relatively reduced populations.

It is realistic to have the best basic, modern resources available everywhere.

When the inevitable need for out of local area care happens, the processes to then share and communicate accurately about patient care need to be clear and effective and involve minimal stress for patients and families.

The things needed to help get best practice and care for our region's needs is that we need to attract great, committed, staff who are skilled at communicating with patients and their families.

That is why this week's budget announcements that give a major, EXTREMELY overdue upgrade to our local Emergency Department as well as introduce legislation to ensure ratios of nursing staff to patients will help.

In order to attract long term staff we MUST have working conditions that provide the opportunity for best practice.

We must have health staff at every level who feel that the amazing, committed and passionate work they do is appreciated by patients and the system they work in.

Last I need to say thank you to so many in our local health system.

From our incredible long term local GP to the amazing paramedics and the myriad of Gladstone District Hospital staff and anyone who has given me a tissue, made our kids smile, done your best always, YOU are who makes the difference.