Mrs Fazekas is one of many who says she has been turned away from the hospital, but more terrifyingly, suffered four epileptic seizures in the emergency department during a separate visit late last year.

It was in December last year that Mrs Fazekas recognised her epilepsy was going downhill, so she got herself to the hospital to seek urgent medical attention.

However, there was no doctor available to see her.

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After the four seizures, which lasted between 12 and 20 seconds each, nursing staff advised they would need to call a GP specialist for advice on how to treat her.

"It was appalling that there wasn't a doctor there to help," Mrs Fazekas said.

"This was not the fault of the nursing staff there, they do a fantastic job, but they are limited in what they can and can't do.

"A town this size, not to mention all of our outlying communities, deserves a hospital that is functioning and one that has a doctor there. It's not good enough.

"We are a big enough area that when you go to a hospital, you should expect a doctor will be there to help."

In another case, Mrs Fazekas' husband was bitten by a dog.

Instead of getting him to the emergency department following her previous experience, she decided to phone ahead to ask if she brought him in, would he be seen by a doctor.

The answer was she should take him to Griffith hospital to seek treatment, effectively turned away in the process.

"Again, it's not good enough and again it's not the fault of the nurses who are there," Mrs Fazekas said.

"But, we shouldn't have to be travelling to Griffith or Wagga to be treated.

"Those hospitals are already under enough pressure. We shouldn't be adding to it when we have our own hospital here.

"We need a doctor there."

Mrs Fazekas also highlighted her concerns about the lack of mental health services being provided at the hospital, as well as in the wider health community.

She said this issue also needed addressing, particularly when it comes to providing young people with help and support in the area.

"We need to all stand up as a community, as a town and fight for this," Mrs Fazekas told The Irrigator.

"We can't be quiet about it.

"Nothing is being done to fix it, so we have to make our voices heard."

Share your stories with us as part of our campaign to have a permanent doctor by emailing talia.pattison@irrigator.com.au or call Talia on 0475 803 356.

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