Findings confirm desire for clarity
Management boards pushing to create a new overarching western Victorian health service via a merger involving Wimmera providers are confident they are providing appropriate levels of information about the move.
Wimmera Health Care Group chair Marie Aitken said merger partners had been busy providing information and asking for questions through a ‘Care For Our Region’ website and community newsletters.
Mrs Aitken, in responding to findings in a final report from a Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership survey, agreed ‘a large majority of’ people wanted more information about the potential benefits of bringing four health services together.
“We’re looking forward to making this happen, alongside the partnership as a key champion for the voice of business and community,” she said.
The merger proposal involves Wimmera Health Care Group, Stawell Regional Health, Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital and Ballarat Health Services.
West Wimmera Health Service and Rural Northwest Health are not part of the merger.
Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership, designed to provide a direct link from the region to the State Government on community and development priorities, launched an independent ‘snap temperature-check’ survey in July to test community awareness of the proposal to assess what appetite for change existed and community concerns.
In summarising data, the partnership concluded the survey, involving more than 400 respondents, had identified that communication about the proposed changes remained a community concern and key engagement areas needed improving.
It also maintained a position in recommending the four health boards involved in the proposal improve communication by releasing business case details.
This was to ‘provide a stronger evidence base to support broad public communications by public-relations firms engaged by the hospitals involved to communicate key messages’.
The summary also included an acknowledgement of a range of views about the proposal, ‘but that communication around the key benefits and costs of the proposal, and promotion of both costs and benefits needs to be clear’.
The partnership also encouraged the development and monitoring of performance indicators for impacts around jobs and services because ‘this is a significant regional issue given the role of health services as employers and contractors of services in the region’.
Mrs Aitken said since the survey, the merger group had launched the Care For Our Region website.
“It contains further details on how we can deliver better health care, enhanced services and advance careers, closer to home,” she said.
“The website houses materials on why the services propose to come together and includes key information taken from the business case.
“We also have ongoing community newsletters and have embarked on further consultation with staff and community representatives.
“We remain committed to providing as much information as possible to our community and while we can’t meet in person for information sessions during the lockdown, we are looking for ways to keep talking.
“The website also provides a simple place for the community to have another say in the future of health care in the region and provide feedback.
“We have and will continue to answer all questions and since the launch of the website, have answered questions directly with community members, this is ongoing.
“We will also transparently publish relevant questions on the website and in the newsletter.
“We know we have more wore work to do to create this new health service for the Grampians region, should the proposal be approved by the minister.
“We invite anyone who seeks further clarity to visit careforourregion.com.au and contact us.
“Our communities deserve safe, sustainable health care tailored to their changing workforce and community needs. The best way to do this is to keep talking, asking questions and providing feedback and ideas. Together, we have a chance of improving the health of our region.”