MEMBER for Murray Helen Dalton has called for the splitting of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District “to provide proper local health care”.
Mrs Dalton said she would move a motion to divide the MLHD into two districts, and create a new district called the Western Riverina Health District.
“The new Western Riverina Health District will cover Leeton to Balranald including Deniliquin, Jerilderie, Berrigan, Finley, Leeton, Griffith, Hay, Hillston, Lake Cargelligo, Balranald, Barham, Moulamein and Tocumwal,” she said.
“For too long, people in the Western Riverina region have been treated as second class citizens by the bosses at the MHLD.”
MLHD operates 33 public hospitals, 12 community health centres, employs more than 3800 staff and is supported by 33 Local Health Advisory Committees.
“The MHLD has consistently downgraded the status of our hospitals through poor recruitment practices and a lack of services,” Mrs Dalton said.
“This deliberate decline in services must stop, right now.
“We need a closer focus on the health needs of the people of the Western Riverina, and by splitting up the MHLD we can achieve this.”
Mrs Dalton said planning practices in the MLHD were too centralised and ignored local knowledge and expertise.
“Griffith Base Hospital was promised two orthopaedic surgeons in 2021 by MLHD, and we have received none, forcing residents to drive to Wagga Wagga for orthopaedic care, this is unacceptable,” she said.
“We need to split up the MLHD to ensure we finally have the locally focused health care that we deserve.
“A local health focus will save local lives. It’s that simple.”
Ms Dalton said she would speak with NSW Health Minister Ryan Park urgently about the matter.
In a statement, MLHD said it was committed to providing “timely, efficient and appropriate care to patients in every part of the district”.
“Health care services in MLHD are highly networked and have been developed to ensure patients across the district receive appropriate care depending on their clinical needs,” the statement said.
Wagga Wagga Base Hospital is the only rural referral-level facility in MLHD and it serves as a vital hub for specialist healthcare services to every part of the district.
“Splitting MLHD would have a detrimental impact on existing healthcare pathways and would see more patients needing to travel further from their homes to access appropriate care,” the statement said.
“Current arrangements allow staffing and community-based services to be networked and shared across the district. Removing those arrangements would require existing services to be replicated, adding significant costs, and would only add to current staffing shortages experienced in healthcare services nationwide.
“MLHD’s senior leadership team and several board members are based throughout the Murrumbidgee region, representing regional and rural patients and ensuring their unique healthcare needs are considered at an executive level.”
