By JESSE GRAHAM
THE Save Healesville Hospital Action Group (SHHAG) is taking the next steps in its campaign but has expressed “frustration” at being unable to get an audience with the Health Minister.
SHHAG chairwoman Fiona McAllister told the Mail that the group was anticipating a meeting with Health Minister Jill Hennessy on Thursday 14 May to discuss the group’s business case for the hospital.
But Ms McAllister said she was frustrated to find out that the meeting had been scheduled with one of Ms Hennessy’s senior advisors, and not the minister herself.
“Whilst the wait to see the minister had been extremely disappointing, we were a bit more optimistic when we thought we were meeting her this week,” she said.
“Then finding out, by accident, that it was going to be a meeting with her adviser rather than her … incredibly frustrated doesn’t even begin to describe it.”
She said the group had been trying to meet with the minister since the 29 November state election to discuss the business case study commissioned by the group into whether the services provided at the Healesville and District Hospital were appropriate, or if the hospital would be better run outside of Eastern Health.
According to Ms McAllister, the case study is nearing its final stages and the group aims to have the study released before the end of the financial year.
“Our next step will be to call a community meeting – as we’ve always done, as we’re acting on behalf of the community – to talk about where to from here,” she said.
She said that, although Labor made no promises to honour the findings of the business case, the party had been supportive before the election, and that SHHAG wanted to follow up by meeting with Ms Hennessy.
A spokesperson for Ms Hennessy said the minister “deeply values the input of stakeholders and hearing the views of the community”, in regards to SHHAG’s case study.
“The minister’s senior adviser was looking forward to having an initial meeting with Ms McAllister to discuss the Healesville and District Hospital prior to a meeting with the minister,” they wrote in a response on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, today’s meeting was cancelled by Ms McAllister on Monday.”
The case study was funded by about $90,000 in donations from the public and from Casey MP Tony Smith.
For updates from the group, visit www.facebook.com/SaveHealesvilleHospital.
