Editorial: The ‘tribe has spoken’ on split for Hunter New England Health District

OPINION: What a difference 30 years makes, huh? Try telling that to those who opposed the merger of Hunter New England Health District almost three decades ago.

The health district is facing new calls from across the region, including Narrabri-based Barwon MP, Roy Butler, to split the district so country communities can look after their own medical services.

But in the late 1990s, communities were rallying against the opposite as local newspapers reported about the prospect of a merger of the New England Area Health Service and Hunter Health.

As highlighted by Gunnedah resident Judith Law recently, protests were held at the town hall advocating against the merger, primarily due to a lack of consultation with the local community on the plans.

Local government was leading the rallying call for more information about the move to link the neighbouring health districts.

“We’re not being told anything,” then Gunnedah shire mayor Gae Swain told the Namoi Valley Independent. “The government appears to be determined to silence people in the bush by not telling them anything.”

Then Gunnedah Health Service Advisory Board chair Kerry Bee told the same publication that amalgamation would result in the potential loss of essential health services, loss of staff, as well as a reduction of operational and capital funding for this region.

One could argue these concerns have been validated, as many of these grievances are being aired again after scaled-backed plans for the ongoing Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment.

Fast forward almost 30 years, and some want the health district returned to its previous state – with distinct country and regional-metropolitan districts operating separately.

Much of this action for splitting the health district has come off the back of the Wee Waa Hospital controversy and community fearing it will lose the health service altogether.

The health district’s chief executive Tracey McCosker recently conceded there should have been more community consultation about reduced operating hours of Wee Waa Hospital.

It is amazing in some ways (depressingly unsurprising in others) that three decades after the last major shake-up of the health districts, communities are still lamenting the lack of consultation from the powers that be.

Whether it’s absent-mindedness or blatant disregard for country communities – either way this lack of foresight from the top echelons of the health department, is not acceptable.

A Gunnedah Shire Council survey conducted in March found that most respondents (73 per cent) were in favour of splitting the health district.

More telling was the 83 per cent also described the overall health services in the community as unsatisfactory.

As the reality television show phrase goes ‘the tribe has spoken’.

– Sam Woods