Mrs Skinner and Nationals Duty MLC for Dubbo Duncan Gay were in town on Tuesday to discuss the state of dialysis services and to meet with locals obligated to travel to Orange up to three times a week to access treatment.

On Monday, one day before the visit, the Greater Western Area Health Service announced an expansion of dialysis services in Forbes.

They said the increase in funding will allow the service to expand from eight to twelve patients and increase the number of dialysis chairs from four to six.

“However, from what local dialysis patients have told me, this announcement still means around four Forbes patients will still have to travel to Orange for dialysis,” Ms Skinner said.

Locals Ross and Elvy Quirk have been forced to make the trip three times a week for a little over nine months. The couple said the latest announcement was good news but they say services should be available locally.

“You shouldn’t have to [travel], not when they’ve got units here,” Mr Quirk said.

Mr Quirk said the trip to Orange and treatment added up to an eight hour day.

“It’s just like going to work,” he said.

The pair said they were not taking the decision to speak out about the experience purely in their own interest but also for others in a similar predicament.

The couple said they knew of patients from Alectown and Young forced to make the same trip.

“I’ve been pushing the issue not only for my husband but also for some travelling from as far away as Condobolin,” Mrs Quirk said.

“Without Duncan [Gay] and Jillian [Skinner] we’d be no where.”

Mrs Skinner said pressure from the opposition had speeded health upgrades in Forbes.

“Our visits regularly give the State Labor Government the kick in the pants required to make it act, and we’re happy to continue visiting Forbes Hospital until it gets the resources and funding it deserves.”