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    Ian Campbell.

Ian Campbell: Use delay to reconsider hospital merger decision

The entire September 22, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

By Dean Lawson

Retired Horsham surgeon Ian Campbell, OAM, has urged community and health leaders to use a delay in a ministerial decision over a major proposed health-service merger to reconsider restructure alternatives.



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Mr Campbell, strongly against a merger between Wimmera, Stawell, Edenhope and Ballarat services, said he firmly believed, if there was going to be a merger, Horsham should be the central regional hub for any new entity.

He made his comments when asked his thoughts about opinions remaining divided about the potential benefits and-or detriments regarding the merger proposal involving Wimmera Health Care Group, Stawell Regional Health, Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital and Ballarat Health Services, but excluding West Wimmera Health Service and Rural Northwest Health.

Mr Campbell said while greater connectivity between Wimmera and Ballarat services was essential, he maintained a view that involving Ballarat in creating an overarching organisation for the Wimmera-Mallee would be counter-productive.

He said it still made as much sense now as when he raised concerns about the proposal in February for Wimmera-Mallee health services to maintain and build on developing their own regional structure.

He said what merger proponents were proposing, regardless of how much they promoted and pushed the concept, still came with significant risks in service and staffing rationalisation in the Wimmera.

“The Health Minister was supposed to sign off on this in August and while acknowledging there is plenty occurring with COVID-19, this hasn’t happened yet,” he said.

“For it not to be automatic suggests there must be some concerns at the highest level. If there are concerns causing the delay, let’s again look at our options.

“The delay suggests that the plans on the table must be far from convincing. If they were, why wouldn’t they be happening already? 

“Ultimately, we must have some certainty so we can move on. The minister should either sign off on it or ask the groups and the community to have another look.” 

Mr Campbell noted that some staff members from health groups across the region had spoken strongly about merger benefits.

“As it stands and no matter how much the merger partners put forward staff in support for what’s proposed to happen, we all know that this might not be true for everyone,” he said.

“One of the serious aspects of this whole debate at the moment is that no-one knows what’s going to happen.

“I know there are people who are fearful about their roles and are scared of getting pushed out the door and are keeping quiet. 

“And there are others who have accepted it as a done deal and are just trying to get on with their jobs.

“Everyone agrees there should be closer co-operation with Ballarat, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there is need for a merger.

“And although people, perhaps having a sense of fait accompli about it all are tiring of voicing their concern, we certainly know there is still a strong groundswell of community disquiet about the proposal.”

Mr Campbell said being in a state of uncertainty was unsettling.

“If it happens it happens then we’ll all move on. But while nothing’s happening, we’re achieving nothing,” he said.