Leeton Shire Council and community-led Leeton Health Services Crisis Committee fight for hospital improvements

Leeton Shire Council and the community-led Leeton Health Services Crisis Committee (LHSCC) have teamed up to fight for a better way forward.

Councillor and mayor Tony Reneker and LHSCC chairman Maryann Iannelli have announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two organisations with the aim of collaboratively developing an Integrated Health Services Strategy for Leeton.

At the very surface, the main problem being experience by residents is not having doctors based at the hospital 24-7.

Digging a little deeper and there appears to be systemic issues within the hospital, as well as paramedic and mental health services.

Over the years there have been numerous efforts from community groups advocating for better health services in Leeton.

Many residents have written to members of parliament. Council has been promised significant changes to the hospital, but all of this appears to have been to "no avail" according to the LHSCC.

The LHSCC is a volunteer-based committee, comprising of an executive and working committee.

The executive committee members have professional skills in relation to the project, connection with the Leeton community and experience in the health care industry. Representing the executive committee is Mrs Iannelli, Paul Maytom, Chris Bailey, Karen Davy and Simon Dawe.

"We believe the way to achieve real changes to our local health services goes beyond a Facebook page, writing unanswered letters to bureaucrats or putting taxpayer money toward the wrong problems," Mrs Iannelli said.

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"We need to join forces as a community and council to make a collaborative effort to shine a light on the systemic issues and come up with the right solutions for our local health system."

This is a sentiment echoed by mayor Reneker.

"We can't keep hitting our heads against a brick wall and expecting another result - it is time to look outside the square and get back for our community the basic health and hospital services we all need and deserve," he said.

"Council is very keen to work with local community and local health workforce to turn our health service capability around."

The idea now will be to gathering statistical data, real evidence-based information and ideas in Health Services Surveys being organised by the two groups.

"This way we can appropriately capture the ideals for our community, local health workforce and all the health agencies to help us find innovative solutions that can shape a better health system for Leeton," Mrs Iannelli said.

Council has also formally approached the boards of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network and the NSW Ambulance Service to lend support by freeing up senior staff to be full participants in local health planning for Leeton.

This would assist in ensuring the creation of a final Health Services Strategy that is workable and can be supported by government when it is implemented.

Receipt of these requests has been acknowledged, with formal responses still to come.

The purpose of an integrated health services strategy will be to provide a fresh path that will cut though any systemic issues holding back quality hospital, emergency or mental health services in the shire.

This includes tackling issues such as fragmented health funding and silo-ed services, through to under or inappropriate utilisation of available health skills and an under-resourced and overworked workforce.

"The LSC and LHSCC vision is for this integrated health services strategy plan is that it will deliver efficient and effective ambulance, primary, community and hospital services, ideally through an integrated, co-ordinated and complementary setting to achieve a reliable health care system overall in which the local community has full confidence," council's general manager Jackie Kruger said.

The strategy also aims to clarify what are reasonable community expectations for health services in Leeton and to ensure residents are fully aware of and utilising those that do exist.

Once gathered, the data will be analysed and a series of achievable solutions will be collaboratively created and presented in the strategy. It will be used as a detailed advocacy tool when contacting relevant parliament members and government departments.

The information will be gathered through targeted Health Services Surveys relevant to community members and will be released in the coming weeks.

"We thank the many Leeton shire residents who shared their experience at Leeton District Hospital on the 'Save Leeton Hospital' Facebook page since its creation in August, 2021," Mrs Iannelli said.

"Now we need you to continue your support by taking part in our Health Services Survey that will be released in the coming weeks as an essential contribution to the integrated health services strategy."

Both Cr Reneker and Mrs Iannelli believe by working together, there will be greater traction.

They are appealing to everyone in the shire who cares about the state of Leeton's hospital and health services to become actively involved in this project.

"If ever there was a time to make a change to our health services, it is now," Mrs Iannelli said.

They would ultimately like to see 75 per cent of residents complete these surveys once released in order for a solid picture to be determined and used when knocking on the doors of parliament.

To register your interest in taking part of the Health Services Surveys and to find out more information or how you can volunteer, contact LHSCC at leetonhealthcommittee@gmail.com.

The surveys will be released in the coming weeks. Stay updated on the project's progress via the 'Save Leeton Hospital' and council Facebook pages, as well as regular updates in The Irrigator.

Council's website will also feature information.

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