The Primary Health Network (Coordinaire) and Parkinson's NSW will meet to work out funding to ensure the continuing position of Nina Cheyne, Shoalhaven’s neurological nurse educator, over the next 12 months. 

Federal Member for Gilmore Ann Sudmalis said she believed it will be good news for the 540 patients Ms Cheyne cares for across the Shoalhaven. 

“I’m pretty sure that there’s going to be a positive outcome,” she said. 

Kristine Laird from Coordinare said they have been in discussion with Parkinson’s NSW for some time regarding future arrangements for the Parkinson’s nursing initiative.

“We are confident of a positive result and that the wellbeing and improved outcomes for both consumers with Parkinson’s disease and their carers in the Shoalhaven region will remain the key focus of our collaboration,” she said. 

​Ms Cheyne spoke with the South Coast Register recently, after discovering funding for her position would end on June 30. 

Community outrage saw the issue raised at a forum hosted by Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten at the Nowra Town Hall on Thursday, April 20. 

Following the forum, Mr Shorten wrote a letter to Minister for Health Greg Hunt, dated April 27. 

“I seek your assurance that there will be ongoing support for the dedicated Parkinson's nurse position in the Shoalhaven region,” he wrote.

“I seek your assurance that there will be ongoing support for the dedicated Parkinson's nurse position in the Shoalhaven region. Concern was expressed at the community forum I held in Nowra on 20 April that this position would not be funded beyond 30 June this year.

“I call on you to guarantee ongoing support for this vital position immediately. You would be aware that the Shoalhaven region has a high percentage of people aged over 70 as well as a high proportion of people who rely on the aged pension.

“Accordingly, the demand for a dedicated Parkinson's nurse position is clear. This is especially the case when considering that Nina Cheyne - the nurse who has cared for patients Shoalhaven region in this position since 2014 - is the only neurological nurse educator within 300 kilometres of the Shoalhaven.

“Nina is doing vital work for vulnerable people. To deprive this area of her skills and care would be a terrible act of cruelty, to save a very meagre sum.

“In 2015 your government cut more than $595 million from health workforce programs. As a result, graduate nurses in New South Wales are missing out on training places and employment - all at a time when we know the demand for nurses is increasing.

“In this context, cutting funding for existing highly trained nurse positions especially does not make sense. I therefore again call on you to guarantee ongoing support for this position.

“This is a simple question of human decency. Please, do the right thing.”