Currently we can get our crips filled by seven day a week pharmacies, providing you saw a doctor before close of business on Friday. A consulting doctor in a pharmacy may be an option, but this is probably against AMA policy. In a further extension of customer service for the sick, perhaps a home visit consultation service could be revived. Both these services would no doubt attract higher charges but cost is not always a determining factor in case of sickness.

Peter Ayling, Merimbula

Recently I took a load of green waste to the tip and was disappointed when I was charged $15 to dump less than one cubic metre. As I understand it, the green waste is then mulched and sold. So, we're charged to dump it and then charged to buy it back? Is that double dipping?  

From experience I know that other councils accept green waste free of charge and I'm positive that is on people’s minds when they're deciding whether to do the right thing or dump it in the bush. Surely BVSC could implement the same sort of policy.

Jason Binns, Merimbula

I am forced to write in response to the very desperate pleas of the sole GP in our community, it seems, with a conscience. Hats off for your efforts Dr Simonson. Further to your letter was the indescribable release lately of the indubitably stupid proposal by the federal government.

We are not only subject to a culling (so to speak) of our ageing population and those in dire need of medical emergencies, but now we may have to face the prospect of dying because some of us cannot afford to pay for life-saving pathology tests. The wonderful blood test that can detect a heart attack in the space of twenty minutes will be useless to the victim if he or she cannot pay for it!

We are regressing to the bad old days. We need to stand up for our children’s sake at least to retain these great facilities. Politicians ought to realise that health is not a privilege but a right. The medical fraternity must have support mechanisms to function efficiently, and their very existence depends on the availability of funds.

It’s time to stop navel-gazing and look at the bigger picture. Some of the millions of dollars being spent on armaments, defence and aid abroad could help.

We cannot depend on the over-stressed ambulance brigade reaching far-flung regional areas. We could bleed to death or die of snake bite by the time most of us could reach Bega hospital.

I was told the other day, it will be 2020 before that hospital is anywhere near fully equipped and staffed due to a lack of funds.

I was incensed seeing the petition ‘Don’t Kill Bulk Bill’ at the Pathology in Merimbula. From July 1 the government is taking away the fee to bulk bill pathology tests. 

People may delay or go without important tests; rural collection centres may close; laboratory staff may be reduced or cut back. The implications are grave – more hospital time; more avoidable deaths; travel further for tests; longer waits for blood to be taken; and worst of all delayed diagnosis.

We have already experienced the inconvenience of travelling to Bega to reach a Medicare office. Are we now going to travel so far for pathology as well?

There are petition forms at collection centres and more information about the cuts can be found at www.dontkillbulkbill.com. I urge you please, to sign the petition. Although the government has ignored the need for an emergency hospital in Pambula, public pressure has stopped similar threats to healthcare. 

Marghanita Ballantyne, Nethercote