Murray River Council has backed a motion calling for support of the development of a health service in Moama.
Murray River Council has thrown its support behind a proposal to establish a private and community hospital in Moama.
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At its most recent ordinary meeting, council backed a motion from Cr Joy Allan to support health service development in Moama and greater collaboration between NSW and Victorian providers.
The proposal outlines the creation of a 12-bed private and community hospital, featuring three operating theatres and consulting suites.
Murray River Council Cr Joy Allan put forward a motion to support health service development in Moama at last month’s meeting.
Photo by
Emily Donohoe
Cr Allan said the facility was necessary as Moama’s population continues to grow, with projections showing it could exceed 17,000 residents by 2046.
“The demand for accessible and adequately resourced health services is increasing significantly,” she said.
“Despite this growth, there are currently no substantial upgrades to health facilities identified for Moama within the forward planning of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
“Notably, Moama itself is not included on the Murrumbidgee Local Health District service planning map — we’re not even mentioned.”
Currently, the only public health facility within the Murray River Shire is Barham Hospital, a small regional facility with six acute multi-purpose beds and no registered Visiting Medical Officers.
With a population catchment of more than 70,000 people, the hospital is unable to meet the current and projected healthcare needs of the region.
The proposed hospital would provide local specialist treatment for procedures that often require residents to travel outside the area.
Having a facility closer to home would reduce travel time and costs, while allowing patients to recover with the support of family.
The hospital would not be designed for long-term stays but would instead focus on short-stay procedures such as cataract, knee and hip surgeries.
While councillors agreed a new health facility in Moama was needed, some raised concerns about ensuring the project would not create future costs for ratepayers.
Although Cr Allan noted the proposal would not involve additional costs to council, Cr Campbell moved an amendment seeking assurances that ratepayers would not be financially impacted.
Cr Campbell said she supported the idea of improved healthcare but believed it should not come at the expense of residents.
“Healthcare, even though it’s a part of all our lives, we can’t have it as a ratepayer cost,” she said.
“I’m sure our ratepayers would be very supportive of Cr Allan’s efforts and what she’s doing, but this is a private hospital, with specialists with plenty of money and most times specialists back the hospitals and assist with owning the asset.”
Council did not support the amendment, with some councillors arguing it could restrict future councils and potentially hinder the project.
With the motion passed, council will now undertake further analysis of population health needs in Moama and across the broader municipality.
Council will also engage with stakeholders, including NSW Health and local health providers, to identify service gaps, population growth pressures and opportunities to strengthen cross-border healthcare co-ordination between NSW and Victoria.
Although local government does not deliver or govern health services, council said the early work would help support better planning for the region’s future health needs.
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