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Council seeks urgent meeting with Minister for Health over Central Gippsland Health ServiceBy Wellington Shire Council - 1st February 2005 - Back to News Wellington Shire Council is seeking an urgent meeting with the Victorian Minister for Health, the Hon Bronwyn Pike, to discuss health service provision at the Central Gippsland Health Service - including community concerns at delays in putting back in place a community- based Board of Management.
It is the council’s intention that this meeting would involve a local delegation comprising Wellington Councillors, local parliamentarians and community representatives.
The move follows a very productive public discussion on the health service held at the Council Meeting this morning (1 February) attended by local MPs. In attendance were: the Hon Philip Davis, Member for Gippsland Province; the Hon Peter Hall, Member for Gippsland Province; Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram; Brendan Jenkins, Member for Morwell; the Hon Peter McGauran, Member for Gippsland; and Member for Gippsland South, Peter Ryan.
The MPs were unanimous in their support for the council’s public commitment to fight for retention of the present level of all existing health services provided by Central Gippsland Health Service at Sale’s hospital, following dismissal of the hospital board and the appointment of an administrator by the Minister for Health last November.
Said Wellington’s Mayor Peter Gault: "Yesterday we received a letter from the Minister for Health in which she said that ‘…the government’s intention is to support the maintenance, and wherever possible, expansion, of locally appropriate and accessible acute health, aged care, and community based services at Sale and all surrounding districts well into the future’. She went on to say that the administrator has been appointed for a period of up to two years.
However, Cr Gault went on to say, "It’s clear from today’s meeting that there are still a number of people in the community who feel that a stronger commitment from the Minister is required. One issue we are keen to address and resolve with Minister Pike is the community’s concern at the delay in putting back in place a Board of Management at Sale’s hospital.
"As a council we are determined to ensure that there is no downgrading or loss of services offered at Gippsland Base Hospital, Sale – notably the critical care and neo-natal services which provide vital support to a substantial area of Victoria stretching 400 kilometres from Sale to the New South Wales border. This also goes for the services offered in Wellington Shire’s outlying centres such as Maffra, Heyfield, Rosedale and Loch Sport.
"We greatly appreciate the public support provided by our local MPs.
"Any downgrade or removal of any medical services would be disastrous not just to Sale, but to Wellington and East Gippsland, which are two of the largest shires by geographic area in Victoria.
"The specialist medical services offered here are very important to sustain the growth and lifestyle of centres such as Sale, Bairnsdale and the whole of this region. We know the Victorian Government appreciates this and we will be reinforcing our position whenever we can in our discussions with Ministers and their senior advisors.
"Sale and its health services, including those delivered in the satellite areas in Heyfield, Maffra, Rosedale and Loch Sport are key to the health and well-being of residents in this important region of Victoria. This council will do everything within its power to pursue all avenues to ensure there is no loss of services."
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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