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Council to fight for retention of all health services at Sale hospitalBy Wellington Shire Council - 3rd December 2004 - Back to News Wellington Shire Council will do everything in its power to fight for retention of the present level of all existing health services provided by Central Gippsland Health Service, following the dismissal of the Board and the appointment of an administrator by the Minister for Health.
The council is determined to ensure that there is no downgrading or loss of specialist 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. It wants a guarantee that there will be no downgrade to any of the services offered in Wellington’s outlying centres such as Maffra and Heyfield. It will write to the Minister for Health seeking a written assurance on all these issues.
Said Wellington’s Mayor Jeff Amos: "The Wellington community has great concern that the Minister has seen it necessary to intervene and dismiss the board of the Central Gippsland Health Service.
"We have noted the reassurance of the minister that ‘during the period of administration there will be no reduction in the range of health services available to the people of Sale and surrounding communities’.
"Wellington Shire Council will advocate on behalf of the community to ensure that services are maintained beyond the period of administration and that a local board of management is re-established within three months. We want assurances that present services will not only be maintained in full, but expanded and developed further, and will be seeking the support of our local MPs for our campaign.
"Any downgrade or removal of 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.
"This is a vast region that includes the oil rigs in Bass Strait, the Longford Gas Plant, East Sale RAAF Base, Ninety Mile Beach and the Victorian Alps, significant fishing and timber industries and many remote areas that have been shown to be susceptible to bushfires and floods.
"The specialist medical services offered here are very important to sustain the growth and lifestyle of centres such as Sale, Bairnsdale and 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 representatives.
"Many people in the far east of the state already have to travel too far for specialist services. Taking these services away is not an option.
"Sale and its health services, including those delivered in the satellite areas in Heyfield, Maffra, Rosedale and Loch Sport are a 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 service as a bye-product of the minister’s actions at this time."
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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