Charlotte Varcoe
A FEASIBILITY study about Radiation Treatment in the Limestone Coast has been tabled at the recent Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN) meeting.
The feasibility study began last year and has been backed by more than 20,000 signatures on a petition to bring the service to the region.
The petition triggered a legislative review which then resulted in the feasibility study.
LCLHN chairperson Grant King said the board received the “comprehensive and balanced” report into the feasibility study at its meeting on Monday, June 24.
He said the board would now need time to consider the full report and its finding before making a recommendation to Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton.
“The report will be made public once that process is complete,” Mr King said.
Limestone Coast Radiation Treatment Facility working group chairperson Lachlan Haynes said the working group would like to have the feasibility study outcomes and findings as soon as possible.
“We thank the LCLHN for tabling the study on Monday night on the timeframe they informed would be the case,” Mr Haynes said.
“We do understand that these are the final processes of the feasibility study as far as Local Health Network is concerned.”
He said the working group had been advised along the process the LCLHN wished to consider the outcomes of the study and formulate their recommendations to the minister.
“We remain hopeful this will be within a timely and prompt timeframe,” Mr Haynes said.
“We of course remain confident and hope after all the contributors and positive input from the Limestone Coast community to this feasibility study that we in this region will be receiving a favourable outcome.”
Mr Picton said he looked forward to being briefed by the LCLHN once it had considered the report.
“This report was commissioned to respond to the many questions left unanswered after the former state and federal Liberal Governments rejected a proposal to establish radiation therapy in May 2021,” Mr Picton said.
