Tumut hospital on a long waiting list.

CONSTRUCTION of a new hospital for Tumut is unlikely to commence until 2011 despite the existing facility being past its use-by date, a public meeting was told last night.

The public forum which was hosted by Greater Southern Area Health Service presented an update on the progress of the Tumut Health Service Plan which was developed in November 2005.

The meeting was told while much had been achieved already, they were not pretending the work being done is going to resolve all the current problems.

"A hell of a lot of work has been done over the past six months, but there is still a lot to do," chairman of the Tumut Local Government Area Health Service Planning Committee, Allan Tonkin said.

"We all know that the hospital is past its use by date and that redevelopment is a priority."

Consultant architect Ted Doufas has been engaged to undertake a facility review and develop a site master plan.

Mr Doufas said he believed it is most likely that the existing hospital site will be the site for redevelopment in the future.

"This is very much the front end, just creating a mud map as to what direction the hospital might be taking in both physical and functional aspects," he said.

Wagga Daily Advertiser

May 31, 2006