Around 60 Boorowa residents attended a public meeting on Tuesday about recent changes to Home and Community Care (HACC) services.
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Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) Acting Chief Executive, Jill Ludford spoke to residents and expressed a strong wish to focus on the future and move forward with the community.
“We are working with the new service providers to ensure there is a smooth transition of services and will continue to share information about the transition with the Boorowa community, Council and Local Health Service Advisory Committee,” she said.
Ms Ludford apologised to Boorowa residents for the lack of communication regarding the recent changes to the Commonwealth-funded HACC programs.
“We recognise that from the community’s point of view, that this change was difficult to absorb in a short period of time,” Ms Ludford said.
Ms Ludford said that due to probity requirements, MLHD was not able to discuss changes to HACC providers until advice was received from DSS.
MLHD received information about the new HACC providers in Boorowa in late June.
The lack of communication caused upset with some residents in the community, with Boorowa’s Derrick Mason voicing his concerns at the meeting.
“From what I can see, you haven’t followed the Murrumbidgee Strategic Plan that advocates collaboration, openness and respect,” he told Ms Ludford.
“All sorts of rumours were swirling around because no information had been given. Why didn’t you tell people that changes could be made, rather than just say nothing?”
Mayor Wendy Tuckerman attended the meeting and encouraged collaboration between the community and health service providers.
“Engaging the community in any change is important and this is where this process has fallen back but we will work through it,” she said.
“Obviously change is always difficult but it’s not to say it won’t be positive. Consulting our community in that change process is important and although it’s been lacking, I’d like to think we’ll now move forward and increased services will hopefully be seen.”
MP Katrina Hodgkinson said community concerns regarding lack of communication will be focused on from now on.
“I will be taking the message back to my level of government that local people need to be kept in the loop,” she said.
“Despite the communications that have happened, I am confident that we now have excellent providers in place.”
Ms Ludford said the focus is now on the future and initiatives underway include new activities coordinator at the hospital, working with the LHAC on a volunteer’s program for the MPS and engaging with the community about the use of the buildings in the future.
“We look forward to working with our LHAC and local residents to improve health services in the Boorowa and district community,” she said.