The Greater Western Area Health Service says the extra funding will allow an expansion in the number of patients treated at the Forbes Health Service, up from the current eight to 12.

“With funding received in 2009/10, a total of $360,000 has been provided to allow an additional four patients to receive their treatment in Forbes,” The Greater Western Area Health Service said in a statement. The funding will also allow the health service to expand the number of chairs at the facility from four to six. The issue of dialysis services in Forbes has been an ongoing one.

The Nationals have long lobbied for enhanced dialysis services and Duty MLC for Dubbo, Duncan Gay, has told State Parliament on numerous occasions that at least eight people are making the trip from Orange to Forbes up to three times a week seeking treatment.

Acting Forbes and Parkes Health Service Manager, Kerry Leach, said the funding is good news for those relying on dialysis services.

“For patients it will reduce travel, give them more time with their families and will mean they can have dialysis closer to home,” she said.

Ms Leach said this was true not just for patients from Forbes but also for those from towns such as Parkes, Condobolin, Trundle, Tullamore, Tottenham and Peak Hill which are encompassed by the satellite service.

“We’ll definitely have people waiting for those spots to open up,” she said.

The funding has been provided under the NSW Government’s Statewide Planning for Renal Dialysis Services, which was the same funding that saw the service expand in 2008/09.

The NSW Health Department estimates a more than five per cent per annum increase in the number of patients requiring dialysis and Ms Leach said the funding would allow the local health service to better cater for the increasing problem of kidney disease.

“I think generally kidney disease is on the increase across the State and across Australia,” she said.

Ms Leach said now planning can begin in earnest.

“We’re very excited and we’re now looking forward to concrete planning and getting the services in place,” she said.

The Government has allocated $1 million over two years to the program in the Greater Western Area Health Service.

The Dubbo Health Service’s home training unit also received a boost, along with the Gilgandra and Bourke Health Services.