The efforts of Edward River Council to start an advocacy campaign to achieve this goal are to be applauded.
For too long there has been inconsistency in the local messaging around the hospital and health services and clear direction has been lacking. This has now been resolved.
ERC has made its position unambiguous and with community support can start the difficult task of getting government support and funding.
Everyone involved knows this will be not be easy. However, there is a strong argument that from a health perspective Deniliquin has been ignored for too long and this must change.
In the Position Statement which ERC unanimously supported last week, it correctly stated the existing Deniliquin Hospital and health precinct, while having served the community for decades, no longer meets the clinical, operational or infrastructure standards expected of a modern regional hospital.
There would obviously be significant benefits for our community if the NSW Government acknowledged this indisputable fact and looked positively on council’s request.
However, the benefits of a big injection of funding into health infrastructure will not only benefit the Edward River Council region, and this message must also be delivered to decision-makers.
In recent times the government focus has been on centralising services in major centres, but an unintended consequence of this approach is the pressure it has put on the larger hospitals.
The Albury Hospital, as a case in point, is widely recognised as being inadequate for the population it now serves, which includes the Deniliquin region.
The reliance on regional hospitals like Albury can be eased with a boost to facilities in communities such as ours.
As ERC also says in its Position Statement, “the health of our people, the attractiveness of our region to new residents and businesses, and the future of local health delivery all depend on this essential infrastructure”.
The Pastoral Times, on behalf of our community, will work collaboratively with ERC to advocate for our new hospital. We encourage others in our community to do likewise.
No-one doubts that getting the NSW Government to fund a new hospital, as part of a broader health precinct, will be an enormous challenge.
But with a positive and united approach we believe it can be achieved. As the advocacy process builds, success is possible if we band together and provide ERC with the support it needs.
This may, at times, require individuals to curb personal opinions and back the majority position. This is what unity and collaboration is all about, and it is an approach that will have the greatest chance of success.
Edward River Council has taken the lead on an issue that affects everyone in the community. Now we must work together to ensure our new hospital becomes a reality.
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