By JESSE GRAHAM
THE State Opposition in parliament last week called on the government to release essential Eastern Health data to the Save Healesville Hospital Action Group (SHHAG).
Shadow Health Minister Gavin Jennings put a question to Health Minister David Davis in parliament on Thursday 7 August.
Mr Jennings raised the issue of SHHAG’s struggle to get Eastern Health financial data on the Healesville and District Hospital in order to be able to undertake an independent business case study.
SHHAG raised $90,000 to run the case study, which includes $55,000 provided by the Federal Government.
Group members met with Mr Davis earlier in the year to discuss obtaining the Eastern Health data but, despite reports of a positive meeting, the data has yet to surface.
Mr Jennings asked the minister to provide the information which he said had been requested on 24 May, 30 May, 13 June and 23 July.
He said it would be vital for the case study.
“On behalf of the community, I specifically ask that the minister release the information to enable the consultant Brewerton and Associates to complete the work and provide recommendations to the community and the government about the appropriate service configuration needed to support the Healesville community now and into the future,” he said.
The matter was raised at the adjournment of the sitting so Mr Davis was unable to reply at the time, but, when contacted, a spokesperson for Mr Davis referred the Mail to Eastern Health.
A spokesperson for Eastern Health said the organisation was in the process of arranging a meeting with Brewerton and Associates on the matter of the case study.
Seymour MP and Eildon candidate Cindy McLeish said that a meeting was being organised between the consultant and Eastern Health, and that she was pleased to hear the matter was progressing.
The independent case study aims to assess whether the Healesville and District Hospital would be better run as a rural health service or continuing under the umbrella of Eastern Health.
The hospital is currently the subject of a $7.8 million redevelopment, and a community consultation group will be meeting regularly to discuss the plans for the hospital’s future.
