Campaign taken to the streets.

As the community campaign for a new Tumut hospital steps up a gear, information booths are being conducted to increase public awareness on the issue.

One such booth will be conducted in the main street today (Friday) from 9-5, with another next Thursday from 9-3.

The community will have an opportunity to sign letters to the Minister for Health John Hatzistergos and the Premier.

People will also be able to convey to those manning the booth any difficulty they may have experienced in accessing or affording medical services, in order that these can hopefully be documented and hopefully addressed as part of the campaign.

The latter will be followed by the public meeting at the Tumut RSL Club at 5.30 p.m.

Whilst that hour long meeting is set to focus on the presentation of the new Tumut Health Service Plan, setting the direction for the delivery of health services in the area from 2006-2011, it is expected the issue of a new hospital will also be raised.

One of those heading the New Hospital Campaign committee, Sue Swann, said it was pleasing to see the way local organisations, industries and businesses had rallied to the cause.

"The momentum is continuing to build, and hopefully we can apply the blowtorch on the government to come up with a firm funding commitment.

"There was an understanding some years ago, but now it seems we have been left in the lurch.

"We can't wait another ten years; we need to secure funding and have the government employ architects to prepare a site plan as soon as possible so the new hospital becomes a reality in the next three to five years."

Tumut & Adelong Times

Friday October 28 2005