A Horsham businessman has taken to the city’s central business district in a one-man protest to challenge a merger proposal between Wimmera Health Care Group and Ballarat Health Services. 

Real estate owner Bill Ower marched along Firebrace Street on Friday and Saturday last week wearing a ‘Save Our Hospital’ sandwich board in response to the merger plan. 

Mr Ower said he had major concerns a merger would result in a loss of hospital services and specialists. 

“I see this as a very dangerous proposal. It will be a tremendous blow to this community,” he said. 

“They would be surrendering the autonomy of our local hospital. It would still be here and could still be seen as being local, but it would have no local management and we would lose ownership of it.” 

The health-care group has planned two community consultation sessions on Friday at Horsham Golf Club. 

The organisation hosted online consultations earlier this week. 

Mr Ower said the meetings were a deterrent for people who were working and wanted to contribute to the debate because they were planned during business hours. 

“And video calls are not a popular way of communicating with people,” he said. 

“There needs to be a town hall meeting in the evening about 7.30pm with an independent chairman where people could put their views forward and get up and ask questions.” 

– Dylan De Jong 

The first face to face community consultation is Thursday February 4 and people can book online (no cost) for any of the sessions using this link https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/community-consultation-sessions-face-to-face-tickets-133046925937

RELATED: Ballarat hospital chief Dale Fraser outlines proposed merger with Wimmera Health Care Group

The entire February 3, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!