Sydney-based medical specialists are divided about travelling to see regional patients as the city's COVID-19 lockdown is extended for at least another two weeks.
Neurologist Dr Sanjeev Taneja frequently travels to Coffs Harbour on the NSW Mid North Coast to care for patients with Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions.
But the Liverpool-based doctor made the difficult decision to postpone appointments because of the fear of spreading the highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant.
He said the extension of the lockdown may force him to reassess his options, and consider telehealth consultations.
While telehealth has helped specialists connect with regional patients, neurosurgeon Professor Marcus Stoodley felt it was important to continue to travel to his rooms in Coffs Harbour.
"[The patients] know that we're from Sydney, they know that we're following the rules, but it's just a part of medicine that we have to have that face-to-face consultation," Prof Stoodley said.
'It means everything'
His patients, like Boambee resident Suzanne Van Hese, were grateful for Professor Stoodley's dedication.
Professor Stoodley said his experience of using telehealth during Sydney's previous lockdown wasn't effective for some patients.
"At that time last year, I found that I wasn't providing an adequate service to the patients," Prof. Stoodley said.
"Particularly with new patients where you need to assess them by doing an examination, that's just not possible in a telehealth consultation."
He argued it was safer for him to travel to Coffs Harbour to see his patients, instead of forcing them to travel for hours to Sydney and increase their risk of contracting COVID-19.
Ms Van Hese hoped the state and federal governments could do more to ensure specialists were supported to continue to travel to patients in the regions.
