A move by Member for Murray Helen Dalton to divide the Murrumbidgee Local Health District in two has received support from the medical community.
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Mrs Dalton announced her bill in February this year, which was officially introduced to NSW Parliament in April.
Her aim in splitting up the 125,243km² Wagga-based MLHD is to “provide proper local health care in her electorate”.
She proposes a new Western Riverina Health District cover Leeton to Balranald, including the communities and health services of Deniliquin, Jerilderie, Berrigan, Finley, Leeton, Griffith, Hay, Hillston, Lake Cargelligo, Balranald, Barham, Moulamein and Tocumwal.
The split would also put a stop to and rectify what she described as the consistent “downgrading” of rural and regional hospitals in favour of larger health services at Wagga and Albury.
This week, Mrs Dalton gained the support of doctors and other medical staff from Griffith Base Hospital, who have written an open letter supporting her push.
“The people of Murray deserve their own health district,” Mrs Dalton said.
“We need to have control over our own lives, and I am heartened to see that the medical staff of the Griffith Base Hospital agree.”
The open letter is written and signed by Griffith Base Hospital Medical Staff Council chair Dr Howard Fan.
The proposed boundaries of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District split.
In the letter, Dr Fan says the establishment of the Western Riverina Health District will help address the “failures of the Murrumbidgee Health District”.
He says the current system has created a “lack of local autonomy, inadequate resourcing and missed opportunities to develop and expand services tailored to the Griffith community”.
“This really is a case of doctor knows best,” Mrs Dalton said.
Mrs Dalton has called on Premier Chris Minns to honour his personal commitment to her, which he made before the last election, to create a new health district in the Western Riverina.
“The seat of Murray is the same size as Scotland. We need, and deserve, our own health district.”
“We can’t continue to allow ourselves to be run by people who live hundreds of kilometres away, and who simply don’t understand our health needs.”
A spokesperson for MLHD has previously said the health service was committed to providing timely, efficient and appropriate care to patients in every part of the district.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
“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.”
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