A meeting of 10 health agencies active across the Narrandera area gathered at Council Chambers on Friday 29 November to discuss the shortages of Doctors in the Shire and the resultant difficulties in providing medical services at Narrandera Hospital.

The primary purpose of the meeting, organised by Narrandera Shire Council’s Economic Development Manager Peter Dale, was to consider the possibility of the formation of a health alliance for Narrandera Shire to monitor the provision of ongoing quality and consistency of healthcare within the Shire.

Mayor Neville Kschenka said today that the meeting was convened by Council in recognition of the need for good medical services to be available in Narrandera Shire to ensure the health and wellbeing of all residents and as an integral component to ensure the Shire continues to be an attractive place in which people can live, work and play.

“The meeting unanimously agreed that there was a need for more doctors to be available in Narrandera and that the Council could strongly lobby governments on this need with the support, advocacy and information input from the various health agencies,” Mayor Kschenka said today.

He said that a representative from Dr Romeo’s medical practice had outlined the difficulties experienced in attracting and retaining doctors and the resultant pressures in maintaining acceptable availability of medical services at Narrandera Hospital. All other agency representatives outlined their positions in relation to the provision of acceptable medical services in the area.

The meeting unanimously agreed to the formation of the Narrandera Health Advisory Group which would meet quarterly or as required with membership comprising the various agencies which included the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network, RSL Lifecare-Teloca House, Opal Aged Care, Murrumbidgee Pathways, Local Area Health Committee, Home and Community Care, NSW Ambulance, Dr Romeo’s practice and Narrandera Shire Council.

Mayor Kschenka said he expected that several other agencies that were unable to attend the meeting would join the advisory group. This would result in a widely representative advice base to enable Council to make strong and informed representation to Government to press the case for an appropriate level of suitably qualified doctors to be available for general practice and to ensure appropriate services at the Narrandera Hospital.