Funds needed to secure more homes
MACQUARIE Home Stay is a unique environment providing affordable accommodation when people need to come to Dubbo to seek specialist medical treatment.
The apolitical space encompasses the need for temporary housing solutions for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or location.
The current facility has 17 units to levitate the pressure of people seeking commercial accommodation or daily travels when they are arriving for their treatment.
Operational manager Rod Crowfoot said the first stage was initially established in 2019 and that helped consolidate their market and the importance of the facility.
Having more than eight acres of land, Mr Crowfoot developed an application in hopes to receive funding from the Federal Government to secure an additional 45 units.
“We are the only facility like this in NSW where we aren’t specific to medical treatments,” he continued, saying guests are charged between $40$50 a night to stay in the centre.
Mr Crowfoot explained that with the opening of the new Western Cancer Centre, patients are seeking treatment from all over NSW, including Moree Plains, Tamworth, and Broken Hill, and said many are not able to afford to stay in commercial motels throughout the duration of their treatment.
“I have people tell me that they can’t come down for their treatments, unless they are able to stay with us,” he said of the disheartening experience, explaining he has only had one free unit for one night in the past three weeks.
He said the facility is at maximum capacity and he must turn away eight people a day as there are no units free.
“We’ve had to ask people to leave because their treatments went on for longer than expected, but we needed their rooms for other patients.
“(If successful) this application gives us the ability to build 26 units specifically for oncology support, 14 general units and five family units,” he continued, saying there is an immediate need for supported accommodation.
Mr Crowfoot told Dubbo Photo News that patients make their decisions on treatment dependant if they are guaranteed accommodation at Macquarie Homestay.
He shared the tragic reality of people having to sleep in their cars during their treatment process as they cannot afford commercial accommodation, and provided the example of people travelling back and forth to Mudgee daily because they cannot afford accommodation but can afford the travel substitute.
People who book in advance are secured, however those needing emergency services for accidents, intensive care, and patients from the Royal Flying Doctor Service are not guaranteed a place.
“Being a not-for-profit charity, we are prepared to provide $1m toward the funding through sponsorships and donations,” he said, adding that there is only so much locals can do to raise money and that they are relying heavily on state and federal funding.
“It’s all good and well for us to have the best (medical) facilities in the region, but if patients are not going to come and use them and we have all these vacancies then what is the point of having (those services),” he told Dubbo Photo News.
Mr Crowfoot shared a conversation he had with a representative of the Western Cancer Centre who said the facility will perform 490 treatments a year, with a large percentage of patients having to travel over a certain distance.
“It’s always a real challenge to say no to guests and patients, but we cannot facilitate them.
“Getting this up is important to us, not only for the guests staying for the time being, but for the region and the quality of treatments,” he continued, saying he and his team are confident in the service they provide to create a safe environment for everyone.
“Geographically we’re a massive patch – a third of NSW come to Dubbo for their specialist medical treatments."
Mr Crowfoot reassured Dubbo Photo News he is confident about understanding his guests' needs and people’s expectations of the facility.
From the gardeners to housekeepers, everyone has a place at Macquarie Homestay, and he makes sure to hire staff to fill an important void in the community.
“We employed a girl with Down Syndrome as a housekeeper and for her to wear a shirt and earn money.
“We understand that we are a part of a niche, but we’re an important niche that is needed – or will be needed – by almost everyone,” Mr Crowfoot explained.
Australian Labor Party Candidate for the Parkes electorate, Jack Ayoub, said the facility provides access to health across the region.
“There are so many people who rely on affordable accommodation, and this will provide more people with the accessibility,” Mr Ayoub continued, saying he will lobby the investment strategy to his party as there is a huge community support towards the facility.
“Rod and his team are prepared to take the debt on themselves and that in itself is significant,” he said, adding that politics shouldn’t matter in these instances, and that the Homestay facility encompasses Australian values and so he will present the idea to Labor.
A guest at Macquarie Homestay, Barry Ross, has been staying at the facility for 34 days and he says the accommodation is great.
Coming from Parkes, he shared it is not viable to drive every day for his treatments, and he feels comfortable at the facility.
“Rod is doing a terrific job, they look after everyone,” he continued, saying they look after cancer patients, women with babies and children, and their husbands.
“Everyone is welcome – not many places do that.”