Tumut finally has a Health Services Plan, after the document was officially presented to the community at a public meeting on Thursday night.

The plan has been 10 months in the making, as the Steering Committee Chairperson, Alan Tonkin told the packed room at the RSL.

Almost 90 people attended the meeting, which was a good indication of the community's interest in the health services plan.

The meeting was chaired by Mr Tonkin, and also led by Tumut Shire Council General Manager, Chris Adams, Tumut Hospital Service Manager, Mary Smit, Network 5 Community Health Manager, Jill Ludford, Greater Southern Area Health Service (GSAHS) executive representative, Karen Edward and GSAHS Manager of Services and Corporate Planning, Janet Chapman.

All members of the Health Steering Committee were in attendance as well as the majority of Tumut Shire councillors.

Following the introduction of the Tumut Health Services Plan, the purposes and outcomes of the plan were discussed, as well as the next steps in the process.

Mr Tonkin praised the community for the turn out at the meeting and for the general interest in the plan since work began 10 months ago.

"There has been a lot of progress since the last meeting at the end of September, and a number of submissions and priorities have been received from the community," Mr Tonkin said.

"The Tumut Health Services Plan has goals, targets and set dates to achieve the targets by," Mr Tonkin said, "and this is the document with which we, as a community, can hold GSAHS to account for our health services in the future."

The plan outlines Tumut's health services over the next six years, detailing what will be required in the future and the steps that can be taken now to ensure the health services remain adequate.

Amongst the plan's recommendations are initiatives aimed at additional surgical activity, support services for people with chronic illness, cancer and palliative care, a web-based service directory, additional respite care services, an interagency approach to addressing depression and mental illness, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs, a review of the location of the Tumut Dental Service, and identification of increased telehealth and health transport opportunities.

The meeting was told a committee would monitor progress on the Health Plan, there would be further public meetings next year, and a formal review every 12 months.

Sub-committees would be formed, with the possibility of a purpose built building for the preventative health and early intervention programmes envisaged.

Some time was spent at the meeting discussing ways at attracting additional health professionals, including GPs, proceduralists, obstetricians and anaesthetists.

On the issue of staff it was suggested that first class facilities would not necessarily raise the standard of staff or the ability to recruit staff, and the example was given of the brand new hospital in Young still having difficulties finding suitable staff.

The other issue brought up with some irony was that while a recommendation in the plan called for preventative measures for healthy aging and reducing falls in the aged population, the current infrastructure at Tumut Hospital has floor changes which could contribute to a fall.

The meeting successfully introduced the community to the new Health Services Plan, and from the response during Thursday's meeting, the community will no doubt be watching to ensure all recommendations in the plan are implemented promptly.

Questioned as to why things had taken so long, Ms Chapman said: "We have taken the first step in what will lead to a number of things including the facility review early next year."

"The process has been started with the Health Plan, the facility review will be carried out, and the local committee will be "looking for feedback."

Earlier, no answer was forthcoming as to claims other towns' health facilities upgrades and new hospitals had been approved and funded ahead of Tumut.

Ms Sue Swann had drawn the meeting's attention to the "huge effort" that had gone into attracting major industry investment in the area in the expectation local health facilities would be brought up to an appropriate standard.

"Why hasn't that occurred; why are we further back than we were back then?" she questioned.

"The hospital is over 100 years old; Wagga was built in the 60s; our building needs replacing.

She reiterated concerns that Tumut had once been promised new facilities by 2007.

"Whilst everyone fully supports the initiatives including those in respect to preventative health outlined, the present building is not up to par and something must be done to solve that in the short term - not five years, not 10 years - the facility is needed now."

She also called for improved access locally to ultrasound services, urging GSAHS to look at the benefits of a service encompassing Tumut, Batlow, Adelong as far as Tarcutta and the new area of the former Yarrowlumla shire added into Tumut Shire.

Tumut & Adelong Times

Tuesday November 8 2005