Workman calls for health consultation support

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 601, 29 August 1995, Page 1

Workman calls for health consultation support

C hangi ng the minds of the funders of v public health care in the Waimarino C should be achieved through the community consultation process that is already under C way. That is the view of Ruapehu District Council h mayor and Waimarino Health Taskforce chairman ii Garrick Workman. s "I can't stress enough how important it is for I" people to become involved in this process," he p said, referring to the Central Regional Health Authority's community consultation process which r kicked off this month. v The process started with "consultation with community and health interest groups", which is to be e followed by the public release of options and r possibilities for health care provision in the W aima- r rino. From 15 September to 1 2 October the CRHA

vill discuss the options with groups and on 12 )ctober a public meeting is to be held in Raetihi. Closing date for written submissions is on 18 )ctober, on which date verbal submissions will be leard if requested. The CRHA plans to announce ts "preferred option" for the provision of inpatient ervices for the Waimarino on 31 October and 13 Jovember, the CRHA will start the tendering irocess to seek service providers. Mr Workman said the task ahead for the comnunity was to convince the RHA of how -to proide the inpatient care in the best way possible. He said the taskforce had already managed to xpress the view effectively to the CRHA of the leed to provide the inpatient services locally and lot in Taihape or Wanganui. "But we can't be complacent. People have to be

as fully involved as they possibly can in this process. This is the way we will get the health care we need — not by marching down the Parapara or writing petitions." 'There is a certain reality that exists. Good Health Wanganui have financial problems that they have to face. There are other options for providing this care other than GHW." The Bulletin understands possible options include a general practitioner-run service and working with GHW to tender for Taumarunui services as well as Waimarino to make it more viable. Mr Workman said he was "intensely an- . noyed" about comments in the community j that no-one was doing anything about the issue. "It is a slap in the face for the taskforce and

for me personally given all the work we have done negotiating with the CRHA and over the past number of years starting with the preparation of the Waimarino Health Care Plan three years ago." He urged all members of the community to work together with the taskforce to "achieve the best possible outcome for the Waimarino". "I feel confident about the future of health services in the district but we can't be complacent. We've got to work through this process with a positive outlook."