Councillors united in seeking action on local health services

Narrabri Shire councillors are united in calling on the state government to address concerns in relation to the provision of health services in Wee Waa, Narrabri and Boggabri.

Following a large rally held in Wee Waa last Tuesday, mayor Darrell Tiemens presented a mayoral minute to elected members at last Wednesday evening’s council meeting.

As part of the mayoral minute, council will ask Health Minister Ryan Park to outline to the Narrabri Shire community the intentions for the Wee Waa Hospital.

Council will also ask that the Health Minister instigate a fully independent inquiry into decision-making at Hunter New England Health, particularly in relation to the loss of adequate medical services, including 24-hour emergency department, available doctor and inpatient care at Wee Waa Hospital; lack of stroke diagnostics/appropriate oncology treatments/ in-hospital kidney dialysis machines at Narrabri Hospital; and reduced support for health services at the Boggabri Hospital.

All nine councillors unanimously supported the move.

“My proposal is that very much we need, as a shire and as a council, to unite fully with the community of Wee Waa,” Cr Tiemens said.

“We’re talking about thousands of people that rely and feed into that hospital and it’s simply not just the Wee Waa community. It’s the community of Pilliga. It’s the community of Gwabegar … farming properties around Burren Junction and Merah North, even as far afield as Spring Plains and Rowena.

“We certainly have a lot of appreciation that our council is prepared to really stick its neck out. We’re going to continue doing that until such time as there is some kind of action taken by Hunter New England Health to get those services back to where they need to be.”

Councillors Greg Lamont and Joshua Roberts-Garnsey offered input into the motions put forward.

“No one can doubt the critical nature of the hospital in Wee Waa and the way that it services the community,” Cr Roberts-Garnsey said.

“And not just Wee Waa, but the surrounding community. I completely respect your passion for this. And the passion shown by the community and every single person who spoke at that meeting on Tuesday.”

Finishing his remarks on the matter, Cr Tiemens said that momentum will continue to build in relation to the provision of health services in the three towns.

“I spoke to our local member [Roy Butler] yesterday and he was 100 per cent behind what we were doing. And I know that the local member will go into bat for this hospital,” Cr Tiemens said.

Cr Tiemens said he was confident the Health Minister would also support the communities.

“And certainly Hunter New England Health will hopefully come to the party on this one,” Cr Tiemens said.