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Wimmera Base Hospital.
Survey calls for clearer message on hospital merger
28 July 2021
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By DEAN LAWSON
A snap survey to gauge community sentiment about a proposed western Victorian health-service merger has revealed a desire for greater clarity about the proposal.
That’s the assessment of Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership leaders who have been sifting through more than 350 survey responses.
Partnership chairman David Jochinke said the ‘temperature check’ survey had revealed a broad range of views. But an over-arching message was a need for more in-depth information.
“It is not surprising that we have had a broad spectrum of views with extremes each way from the positive to concerns,” he said.
“But it is clear most people sit in a category of not knowing enough to form any strong opinion.
“There is sense in the survey that the community is looking for leadership around guidance based on more concise information.
“People have revealed a vested interest in knowing what is happening involving the largest and most important service provider in the region. There remains an absolute thirst for clarity.”
The regional partnership, working with Wimmera Development Association, organised the survey in response to Wimmera Health Care Group, Stawell Regional Health, Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital and Ballarat Health Services board decision to merge their organisations.
The Wimmera Southern Mallee Health Services Community Pulse 2021 survey, at https://sprw.io/stt-dd9a91, continues until the end of the month.
Mr Jochinke said he hoped to present survey ‘themes’ in a discussion with Wimmera municipal leaders and representatives from boards proposing the merger later this week.
He has already called for a business case underpinning the merger be available for public scrutiny.
“There is a series of themes we’ve identified but the real issue is there is also a theme of trust. It seems people need information about any proposal to be fully laid out on a table before they can trust the position,” he said.
“There is skepticism on merger delivery and implementation and questions about why a local solution hasn’t been sought.
“I’m confident there would be many answers to questions being posed in the business case. I’m keen for that to be released to generate understanding of the process.”
Mr Jochinke confirmed a mix in survey-respondent sentiment in health-service provision.
“We might have about 15 percent saying they will support anything other than what we have now, five percent saying ‘get on with it’ and another 20 percent saying ‘over our dead bodies’,” he said.
“I think what it’s showing us so far is that there is a fair distance to go in getting a clear message from the community about what they want. It does, however, demonstrate a desire for service provision to evolve.
“As a regional partnership all we can do is pose questions and use our position to help the community. That is the charter and time is of the essence.”
Themes identified so far in the snap survey are: Lack of trust based on lack of detail and from history of departmental service loss in the region; fear the Wimmera will lose voice in a power shift to Ballarat and implications of this beyond health services; lack of detail in how a merger will improve services; how aged care fits into the mix; lack of detail in how a new body will attract skilled professionals to the region; lack of information about potential ‘local’ impact on each community involved; potential impact on other Wimmera health services; accept a need to plan modern health services for the region and need for long-term strategic planning.
