By JESSE GRAHAM
THE Save Healesville Hospital Action Group (SHHAG) has its next steps in sight after receiving a funding boost from a local business last week.
SHHAG chairwoman Fiona McAllister and group members Sheryl Treen and Bruce Argyle met with RACV Country Club manager Mark Lucas on Wednesday 7 May where the group was given a $1000 donation.
The donation will help to fund the group’s business case study to assess the future of the Healesville Hospital with Eastern Health and the feasibility of moving it to an independent rural health service.
Mr Lucas said the RACV was keen to contribute through its Good Citizens program.
“This enables us to contribute to local projects and groups,” he said.
“It’s very important that we have a local hospital, in particular for our local staff that live here, and we have more than 1000 local members here – so it’s important that they have facilities in the region.”
Ms McAllister said the group was thrilled about the donation, which accompanies tens of thousands of dollars which have been donated from community groups and residents.
“We’re thrilled with the generosity from the community… in helping us in progressing with the business case,” she said.
“It’s a commitment that the Federal Government is supporting and Health Minister David Davis is indicating support for that.”
She said that SHHAG would meet with Health Minister David Davis next week to discuss the hospital and the case study in particular.
Ms McAllister said the group had almost finished appointing a consultant for the case study, and that the study will be run over the coming months.
