THE State Government has kept its promise to provide vital diagnostic scans locally by the end of 2020 via the recent opening of an MRI unit at the Riverland General Hospital.
The $4 million unit accepted its first patient last Tuesday, after almost six months of construction and two years of lobbying by local politicians.
South Australia Medical Imaging (SAMI) Berri services manager Shelley Greenslade said her team was pleased to open the new unit and be able to help local patients.
“The new MRI unit will benefit patients in the community needing medical imaging services and ensure they can receive more comprehensive scans, quicker diagnosis and earlier treatment without needing to travel long distances,” she said.
“This is an exciting time for the many people across the Riverland who will benefit from having access to this much-needed MRI service locally and we are excited to be able to share this with the community.”
Member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone said the new unit would benefit “thousands of patients” through reduced travel, quicker diagnosis and earlier treatment.
“Riverland residents have been waiting a long time to have access to MRI services in our region,” he said.
“It will provide the community with a much-needed medical service that is often taken for granted in metropolitan areas.
“Our government is determined to see regional South Australians having increased access to quality services that are on offer at larger, metropolitan hospitals, and this brings us closer to that goal.”
Member for Barker Tony Pasin said the new unit was “a real win by the community, for the community”.
“In September 2018, the Federal Liberal Government announced that 10 locations across the country would be allocated Medicare-eligible MRIs and these locations would be determined via a competitive application process,” he said.
“Accordingly, I set about, with the assistance of the community, campaigning for one of those licences to be allocated to the Riverland.
“In order to demonstrate to the Federal Health Minister the need for an MRI for the Riverland, a petition of over 4000 signatures was presented to the Minister.
“Over 490 applications were received from around the country, so I’m really thrilled that our lobbying efforts paid off and the Riverland application was approved.
“Two years on we have the first patients in the Riverland able to access lifesaving scans without needing to travel to Adelaide or across the border, saving time and money.”
The State Government announced $4 million in funding for the new unit last October, with a promise that the MRI machine would be operational by the end of 2020.
Construction on the unit began in June, with the machine delivered to the hospital in late October.
State Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said the $4 million was part of the State Government’s commitment to provide better healthcare for regional South Australians.
“It is heartening that Riverland patients requiring an MRI no longer need to travel for hours to get the care they need,” he said.
“The newly installed $2 million MRI machine is now operating at the Riverland General Hospital, ensuring the community has access to the same quality services that are on offer at larger, metropolitan hospitals.”